iAm Not Afraid
by Ultimatereader14
Summary: Sam and Freddie gets caved in in an underground maze of tunnels that is unknown and uncharted. Now they have to put their differences aside and work together to survive. Will they make it out alive?
1. Staples, Bacon, and a Globe

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 1: Staples, Bacon, and a Globe**

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"In five, four, three, two..."

"Hey!" Carly and Sam yelled into the camera in unison.

"I'm Carly."

"I'm Sam."

"And this is iCarly!" Sam pressed the "applause" button on her blue remote.

"So for tonight's show..."

**30 minutes later.**

"And that's all we have time for today!" Sam said into the camera. "Thanks for watching!"

"Eat doors!"

"Close food!"

"And never anger a tree! Bye!" they yelled in unison.

"And we're clear!" Freddie exclaimed, putting down the camera. "Great show guys!" They gave each other high-fives.

"Hey guys!" Spencer yells, barging in. "Are you done with iCarly?"

"Yes," Carly answers.

"Okay! I really need a huge favor!"

"Shoot," Carly says.

"Okay, can you guys go and get some staples, bacon, and a globe?" Spencer asked.

"Those things have nothing to do with each other!" Sam exclaimed.

"It's for a sculpture," Spencer explains. "Now, can you get them?"

"Why can't you get it yourself?" Carly asked.

"I have a date tonight, and I foolishly forgot that I have a deadline tomorrow for a sculpture that I barely started!"

"We'll help ya out," Freddie said. "And who's this lady that is interested in the Spencer?"

Spencer smiles. "Oh, she's just some girl who's perfect for me, psh, whatevs, right?"

Carly, Sam, and Freddie laughed.

Spencer returned to his state of hurry. "Okay, gotta go! Bye!" He disappeared into the door.

"Alright, let's do it!" Carly says.

"Yeah!" Sam and Freddie yell in unison as they walk to the elevator.

All of a sudden, Carly stops walking and frozen in place. "Oh my gosh!"

"What is it Carls?" asked Sam.

"Homework! I've got a ton load of homework!" Carly shouted. "I-I gotta get started on it!"

"But you can't just leave me with Freddie!" Sam yelled.

"Hey!" Freddie said. "I have feelings too, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, enough of your chiz, but Carly! I don't wanna go alone with Fredwad here!"

"Oh c'mon Sam! Please! Do this for me?" Carly said, making her puppy-dog face.

"Ugh, fine," Sam says. "See ya later." Sam presses the button to the lobby.

Freddie shakes his head. "I don't see why you can't just go to the store with me to buy some supplies, I mean seriously!"

"Well, first of all, I hate you!" Sam explains. "Second, I still hate you, and third, yup, I hate you."

"Why do you hate me?" Freddie asks.

Sam opens her mouth to answer. But nothing comes out.

"Ha! See? There's no reason to-"

"Cuz' you're a huge nub!" Sam yells, interrupting Freddie. The elevator arrives to the lobby and they walk out to the street.

They walked to the store silently, not exchanging a word. The crossed the final street and they entered the store.

"Alright," Sam said. "You get the globe and the staples, I'll get the bacon."

"Sure Puckett," Freddie said. They split off and tried to find their products of which Spencer requested. They met at the check-out isles when they finished.

"Alrighty," Sam said, putting the bacon on the conveyor belt. Freddie also set stuff down, but there was some extra things.

"Why are there extra things?" Sam asked. There was a flashlight, five packs of Energizer batteries, and a new Flip Mino.

"Oh, the flashlight is for my mom, the camera's for me," Freddie explained.

"Whatever dipwad," Sam said.

They paid the clerk and went out. They walked back to Bushwell, an awkward silence always covering them.

Along the way, Sam saw a faint light in a very narrow and dark alley. Sam stopped and checked it out.

"Sam," Freddie called. "What are doing?"

"Look, you see that light?" Sam said, pointing straight ahead. The light was faint, but kept changing colors.

"Yeah," Freddie said. "What is it?"

"I dunno," Sam replied. "Let's go check it out."

"Sam, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh c'mon Frednerd, don't be such a wimp." Sam steps into the alley.

Freddie groans. "And she still goes in. Nice!" He follows Sam into the alley.

They keep going in. The alley keeps getting narrower and narrower as they walk in. Freddie notices.

"Why is the alley getting narrower?" Freddie asked.

"I dunno!" Sam yelled, impatient. "Now shut up! I'm curious to see this!"

"Fine! Overreacter."

Sam gave him a glare. Freddie held his hands up in defense. They kept going in. They also noticed that the light looked as if it was as far away as it was before they went into the alley.

"Why is it still far away?" Sam said.

"Yeah, I noticed that," Freddie said.

"I wonder if-aaaaaaahhhh!" Sam disappears in front of Freddie suddenly. She was screaming and her scream was getting farther away.

"Sam!" Freddie yells. Then, there was an 'oof!' This meant that Sam touched down.

"Sam, can you-ahh!" Freddie falls into the ground.

Freddie falls, hitting the ground, hard. He groans in pain.

"C'mon Fredwimp, stand up!" Sam says firmly.

"Ugh," Freddie groans. "What happened?" He looks around. It was pitch-black. "And where are you?"

"We fell into the ground!" Sam exclaims. "There was probably a trap door there and I'm right in front of you."

Freddie puts his hands out in front of him. He grabs a head. "Let go of me!" Sam yelled.

"Sorry. Are we in a basement?"

"I don't think so," Sam says. "Feel the ground."

Freddie touched it. "It's sand!"

"It's so dark!" Sam shouted. "Don't you have a flashlight?"

"Yeah, let me get it." Freddie got the plastic bag and grabbed a pack of batteries and a flashlight.

"Hurry up!" Sam says. She was standing next to Freddie.

"Hold on!" Freddie struggles to put in the batteries. He switches the flashlight on and points it forward.

There was a full-body skeleton in the front of them, suspended by two chains attached to the ceiling, which is attached to the wrists of he skeletal body.

Sam and Freddie both scream at the top of their lungs.

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**A/N: A brand new story! I hope you guys enjoy! I'll try to limit the A/N's. Please review!**


	2. A Hole in the Wall

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 2: A Hole in the Wall**

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_"Hold on!" Freddie struggles to put in the batteries. He switches the flashlight on and points it forward._

_There was a full-body skeleton in the front of them, suspended by two chains attached to the ceiling, which is attached to the wrists of he skeletal body._

_Sam and Freddie both scream at the top of their lungs._

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Sam and Freddie fall to the ground then back away from the skeleton. Sam found herself clinging on to Freddie's arm. She let go immediately and scooted away. Freddie shook his head.

"Oh my gosh," Sam whispered, walking slowly towards the skeleton, reaching an arm.

"Sam no!" Freddie shouted, standing up. The echoes bounced around the cave. Sam jumped.

"Don't freakin' shout!" Sam hissed.

"Sorry, but don't touch it!"

"Why not?"

"Because there could be a booby trap waiting!"

"Relax Fredgeek! Sheesh! Nothing's gonna happen!"

"How do you know that?"

"I don't."

"Great! Just great!" One hundred percent pure sarcasm.

Sam slowly walked to the corpse. She examined it carefully for anything that might be useful. Nothing. But there was a ring on the left hand of they corpse. It was red in the middle and in the center was a Japanese kanji.

"Love," Sam whispered. She read the kanji character. She remembered it from the trip to Japan. She saw it on a symbol on a shop. She carefully took out the ring. The bones immediately fall to the ground, revealing a big stone door that was behind it. Sam and Freddie are taken in surprise. Sam pockets the ring for later use. Freddie didn't notice it.

"Whoa! Look at that!" Sam exclaimed.

"I know!" Freddie stared in awe. The door was a huge, made of stone and rock. There were intricate carvings of vines with leaves and grapes in the outer edges of the door. In the middle was a passage that was carved in cursive. Beneath that was an engraving of an outline of a hand.

"What does that say?" Sam asked.

"Let's see..." Freddie took a closer look. "Ah, it says:

"Sometimes, brute strength is only able to produce a small hole." There a bit of an ominous tone there.

"Huh?" Sam said, really confused.

"I don't know either," Freddie said. "But there's no turning back now." He was right. There was a rock wall behind them and they were so far down that they couldn't even see the light from above; where they came from.

"I gotta record this," Freddie says, taking th Flip Mino out of the bag.

"What?" Sam said. "We are stuck in a cave, and all you can think about is your nerd stuff?"

"Sam, it's for evidence. Clearly, someone's been here before-" referring to the dead skeleton, "-but they never made it out. This could be an adventure of our lives! I don't want to miss this!" He opened the box for the Flip.

"Whatever," Sam said, rolling her eyes.

Freddie started recording. "Okay, Sam and I are trapped underground somewhere..." Freddie went on to explain the events that led to them ending in a cave underground. Both Sam and Freddie took pics of the door, for future reference. Sam used her phone.

"Okay, so are we going inside?" Sam asked.

"Yep," Freddie said, still recording. "Our only choice."

They examined the door, trying to see how to open it. They pushed and pushed, but it was just to heavy. Then, Sam noticed the handprint that was under the handwriting.

"Hey, what's this?" Sam asked, putting her hand on the imprint. It started to glow with light, the same light they saw in the alley. "Whoa!"

"What the heck?" Freddie said. Then, all of a sudden, it started to shake and rumble. "Sam, what did you do?"

Sam took her hand off the door. "I dunno!"

Then, they door slowly slid inward, then sideways, revealing a dark tunnnel. Then, it stopped shaking. Sam looked at Freddie. He gave her a nod.

"Let's go."

They stepped inside together, Sam holding the flashlight forward when Freddie gave it to her and the plastic bag that contains the staples, bacon, and a globe. Freddie was recording.

"This is amazing!" Freddie whispered.

"Yeah!" Sam said. "I wonder who built this."

It started to shake again. They looked back. The door was closing. Now there really is no turning back.

Once it stopped shaking, they inched forward slowly. They made their first right turn. Sam kept the flashlight pointing forward at all times. Freddie stopped recording.

"Okay, let's see if we can find a way out of this place," Freddie said. Sam nodded in agreement as they moved faster.

The walls were made out of rock and stone, perfectly smooth, cool to the touch, and was a very orangey color. The ground was still sand.

They have been walking for hours now. Sam and Freddie are tired. They are afraid the battery supply won't last them. But the Energizer batteries were pretty strong. Guess if they get found or out of that place, Energizer is gonna make a commercial out of this.

"Freddie," Sam said, out of breath. "I'm tired. Need water."

"We need to keep moving to find a way outta here!"

"I'm fine with just walking. We just need water!"

Then, Freddie sees the tunnel changing. The material of the wall turned into dirt and looked very muddy. The ground turned muddy as well. Freddie stopped and touched it. It was mud. And he could only think of one thing.

Water.

"Sam," Freddie said. "I think we've found water."

They both run forward into the tunnel, mud splashing and making the squishing sound. Freddie took out the camera and started to record.

But to their disappointment, a dead end.

"No!" Sam said. "Dang it!" She punches the wall.

Freddie sighed. "Now what?"

"I dunno," Sam says. "I guess we backtrack and try to find a new route."

"But there aren't any new routes! Everything was either a right or left turn! There was no other op-" Freddie stopped talking.

"What?" Sam asked, curious. "Why'd you stop talking?"

Freddie looked at where Sam punched the wall. There was a tiny hole.

Freddie smiles. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Sam asked, very confused.

"That's it! Sometimes, brute strength is only able to produce a small hole!" Freddie repeats the passage from the door. "You're the brute strength! That's the hole! Haha! Now; punch it harder!

"Gotcha," Sam says. She punches the wall, hard. The whole wall breaks down and reveals another door, which is identical to the first stone door they first encountered except for the writing. It was a different message.

"Aha! Yes! Sam, you did it!" Freddie yelled. He hugged her impulsively. Freddie realized what he was doing and pulled himself away. Sam had an eyebrow raised.

"Sorry."

They walk inside the small cove. There was a small fountain on the right hand side, on the wall. Sam sees it, hurries over to it, and drinks huge gulps out of it.

"Sam!" Freddie exclaimed. "How do you know that that's not poisonous?"

"I don't," Sam replied quickly. "Are you gonna get some? It's great, nice and cold."

Freddie, realizing that he was really dehydrating and his throat was scratchy, stopped recording and drank next to Sam. They kept going until they had their fill. They looked at the fountain. It was still full.

"Why is it still full?" Sam asked. "We drank like two gallons!"

"It's a spring!" Freddie says. "It never runs out."

"Well let's get some to go!" Sam exclaims.

"We can't," Freddie explains. "Don't have anything to put it in."

"Oh, right."

There was a small silence.

"It's a good thing I'm stuck with a nerd," Sam said, smiling. "If I wasn't with you, I'd probably end up like that guy who was all corpse!"

"Well, thanks."

"So what do we do now?"

"I guess we could rest here for now," Freddie suggested.

"Yeah, I'm tired. Let's sleep!"

"Turn off the flashlight so we can save it for later."

"Alrighty."

Sam turned the flashlight off. It was pitch-black and scary. Sam and Freddie sat fairly close to each other, keeping each other feeling safe and secure.

But in reality, they were far from safe and secure.

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**A/N: Wow! I have had so many reviews and alerts! This is amazing! Thank you guys for your support! Keep on readin' guys!**


	3. Six O'clock in the Morning

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 3: Six O'clock in the Morning**

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_But in reality, they were far from safe and secure._

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Carly waited for Sam and Freddie by watching reruns of Girly Cow. They had been gone two hours already. Carly tried calling them, but their phones were off. Why're they off? Their phones would never be off. This made Carly wonder.

She made herself some dinner because Spencer was still on his date. She hoped that this time, the date went well.

She sat down on the couch and began to eat her cold dinner. Pretty soon after she finished her dinner, she was fast asleep.

Carly woke to Spencer shaking her.

"Carly!" Spencer whispered. "Wake up!"

Carly groaned. "No, five more minutes!"

"But it's important! I can't find Freddie or Sam."

Carly jumped up, wide awake. "What? What do you mean?"

"I can't find them anywhere! I need my sculpture stuff!"

"Yeah! I know! I've been trying to call them on their phones, but for some reason, their phones are turned off!"

"Wait, when was the last time you called them?" Spencer asked.

"Ten o'clock," Carly replied.

"Carly, it's six o'clock in the morning."

"What?"

"Yeah, I know! They wouldn't be gone this long, would they?"

"No, they wouldn't! There must've been something that happened while they were gone. Kidnapped, maybe."

"Sam? Kidnapped? I'd soon better believe that I was a super hero with powers," Spencer said.

"Spencer! This is serious! We have to call the police!"

"Fine, I'll do it," Spencer said, reaching for the phone. He dialed 911 and waited for someone to answer.

"911 emergency, what seems to be the problem?" the other end said.

"Hello, I have some friends that are missing," Spencer said.

"Okay, what are their names?"

"Their names are Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson."

"Oh, the iCarly superstars!" said the lady on the other end.

"Yeah! They are missing, and we really want them back!"

"Okay, I'll call the FBI right now to ask you some questions."

"Okay, sounds good."

Click.

"What did they say?" Carly asked.

"They said that they'll be sending some FBI over here," Spencer replied.

"But that could take forever!" Carly exclaimed.

Then, the elevator opened, revealing two FBI agents. One was a woman with blonde hair, the other was a man with short, brown hair. This reminded Carly of Freddie and Sam. She groaned. The agents were wearing thick, brown coats and they were both carrying book bags. Large book bags.

"Looks like you spoke too soon," Spencer said.

The FBI agents stepped inside. "Good morning, is this the Shay residence?" the male asked.

"Yes, it is, please come sit," Spencer gestures to the sofa.

Both of the agents sat down. Spencer sat on one of the stools, while Carly sat at the other chair on the right side.

"Okay, my name is Agent Kaitlin Sturgeon," the blonde woman said.

"My name is Agent Darin Ramírez," the brunette man introduced.

"Hi, I'm Carly Shay and this is my brother, Spencer," Carly introduced.

The agents both nodded their heads, writing something down on a piece of paper.

"So, we've heard that you have some friends missing?" Agent Sturgeon asked.

"Yes, two of them are missing," Carly replied.

"Could you give us the names?" Agent Sturgeon asked.

"Yeah, it's Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson."

The agents scribbled away.

"When was the last time you saw them?" Agent Ramírez asked.

"It was at eight o'clock last night," Carly said.

"Really? What were they doing?" Agent Ramírez said.

"They went out to the store a couple of blocks from here to buy some things."

"What were the things?"

"Staples, bacon, and a globe."

Scribble.

"Have you tried calling them?" Agents Sturgeon asked.

Carly just wanted to punch her in the face. She did call them, like a hundred times. "Of course I have!" she said a bit too loud. Spencer gestured for her to keep it cool.

"Sorry," Carly said.

"I know this process is frustrating, but sometimes, we have to ask the most simplest questions," Agent Sturgeon said with a calm voice.

"Right," Carly said. "Go on."

"Well, actually, that's all of the facts we need," Agent Ramírez said. He took out a folder from his bag and set on the table. He opened it and revealed some pictures to Carly and Spencer.

"Okay, so we may have a lead on were they are," Agent Ramírez explained.

"Really?" Carly grew excited.

"They maybe linked to one of these disappearances." He showed them a photo of a guy with black hair, five feet nine inches tall, Asian man. He was smiling and his left arm around an Asian woman, who was smiling as well and very pretty. They were both sitting down by a water fountain. On the guy's left hand, there was a ring. The middle was all red and in the center was a Japanese kanji character.

"Who's that?" Spencer asked.

"This is Jetto Pogi," Agent R said. "He went missing a few months ago. He also went to the same store a few blocks away before disappearing. His wife, which is the woman on the picture, is devastated."

"Poor Mrs. Pogi," Carly said. But all she think about is that she hopes that Sam and Freddie would come back alive.

"But how do you know that his disappearance was linked to Sam and Freddie's disappearance?" Spencer asked.

"We don't," Agent S said. Great, that made Carly feel a better.

"We surveyed the area for any traces Mr. Pogi left," Agent R said. "No trace at all. But we did ask the people in the area if they knew anything about the man. They said that they saw a man that looked just like Mr. Pogi go inside an alley. He never came out."

This sent chills up Carly's spine. "You think that could've happened to Sam and Freddie?"

"Maybe," Agent S said. "We'll be back tomorrow. We're gonna search that area again. Meanwhile, you guys calm down and relax, we'll handle it from here. It's gonna be okay."

Carly and Spencer looked at each other. They both knew better to trust the phrase "It's gonna be okay."

The agents left abruptly. Carly and Spencer were left alone in the apartment.

"Say kiddo, wanna get some breakfast?" Spencer asked.

Carly just wanted to yell out in protest, but her stomach grumbled otherwise. "Okay," Carly said quickly.

Carly headed out the door, praying that Sam and Freddie are okay.

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**A/N: Hope you guys are still enjoying! Hopefully I got the characters right. And if there are any mistakes, I am sorry about that. I don't have an editor and I don't edit my work. Peace!**


	4. Haste Makes Waste

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 4: Haste Makes Waste**

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_Carly headed out the door, praying that Sam and Freddie are okay._

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Sam woke up. She opened her eyes. It was still dark. She tried to open them. But they already were open. Then she remembered where they are.

Deep underground where danger lurks.

She found the flashlight and turned it on. She went to the fountain and washed her mouth and drank some more water. Then she heard Freddie wake up.

"Mornin'" she greeted.

Freddie groaned. "Ugh, are we still in this place?"

"Un-freakin'-fortunately."

Freddie got up and did what Sam did. He washed his mouth and drank some water. Then they gathered their things to get ready to keep going.

Freddie started to record on the Flip camera.

"What does the door say?" Freddie asked.

"It says:

"Haste Makes Waste."

"What do you think it means?" Sam asked after she read it.

"It's pretty straight forward," Freddie said. "I bet it has something to do with the next passage of tunnels we have to go to. Something to help us."

"Yeah, probably."

"So let's go!"

Sam put her hand on the hand outline again, which opened the door with shakes and rumbling. The door closed behind them as soon as they were a foot in. Sam pointed the flashlight forward. The walls were now made out of rocky, gray bricks with moss covering them. The ground was still muddy, but not as wet. As they progressed farther into the tunnel, the ground turned into a dust road.

Freddie stopped recording about a few minutes in. A few hours in, they met their first split of the road. You could either turn left or right.

"Ugh, great!" Sam said. "This makes this journey a lot better!"

"Which way?" Freddie asked.

"I don't know! This is stupid! You should've stopped me from going into that alley when we up there-" Sam pointed up, "-at the surface!"

Freddie frowned. "I did try to stop you! You didn't listen to me!"

"Well, it's not my fault that I'm curious!"

"Haven't you heard that curiosity killed the cat?"

"At least I'm not afraid to try new things!"

"What are you talking about? I do lots of new things!"

"Like what, put a new upgrade on the iCarly site? That's all you can do!"

This hurt Freddie a little. "You know what? I'm gonna go! Take your own way. I don't need this!" Freddie stalked away into the right tunnel.

"Eh, I don't need you too! I can find my way outta here!" Sam yelled. Then it was pitch black. Freddie took the flashlight from Sam when she wasn't looking.

"Grr!" Sam yelled. She ran after Freddie.

"What, you miss me already?" Freddie asked.

"No!" Sam yelled. "You freakin' took the flashlight from me! I can't see anything without it!"

"Yeah, whatever," Freddie said.

Thhey soon found another split in the road. They both groaned. They kept finding more splits of the road, which irritated them even more. Then, the flashlight went out. Which irritated them, again.

"What the heck did you do?" Sam shouted.

"I didn't do anything!" Freddie shouted back. "Must you always assume that I did something wrong?"

"Yes, because you always do something wrong!"

"You know what Puckett, I've had enough of you. You better cap that mouth of yours before I lose it."

"Lose it? What are you gonna do, debate with me?"

All of a sudden, there was a scream. The next thing she knew, Sam was on the ground, being pinned down. She couldn't escape.

"What the heck?" Sam yelled.

"Listen here Puckett, shut your mouth, please, you'll do us all good," Freddie said, obviously irritated. He let go of Sam and she backed away a bit, surprised at Freddie sudden outburst.

"The batteries ran out," Freddie said. "We have to change it."

"Whatever," Sam said.

Freddie changed the batteries. He turned the light back on and found Sam. She was really angry.

"C'mon Puckett," Freddie said, wishing to be dead.

Sam grunted. "You better stop that attitude before you die. And not because we're down here in the tunnels."

"Whatever Sam," Freddie snapped back, way past irritated.

They took the right tunnel again. Which ended up in more splits of the road. Which made Freddie and Sam even more irritated at each other.

"This is hopeless!" Sam said.

"Please don't be negative!" Freddie sighed. "That's the last thing we need right now."

"Grr! I just wanna get out of here now!" Sam said. "All this haste is making me thirsty!"

Freddie widened his eyes. "Oh my gosh! That's it!"

"What? You're gay?" Sam said sarcastically.

"No Sam! And stop it with the teases," Freddie said.

"Whatevs."

"Haste makes waste!" Freddie exclaimed.

"What?"

"That's what we've been doing all along! We've been in such haste to move on that we're not getting anywhere! It's a waste!" Freddie explained.

"So what are you saying?" Sam asked.

"It means to get out alive, we have to put our differences aside for now and work together."

"Oh okay."

"Well, if we're gonna work together, I might as well apologize for being so mean," Freddie said. "No hard feelings?" He put out his hand for a handshake.

Sam thought about it. "Maybe working with you is not as bad as dying." She shook Freddie's hand.

"Alright!" Freddie threw the flashlight at Sam. She caught it without looking.

All of a sudden, on the left wall, part of the wall was going inwards. Sam and Freddie headed there. It was another stone door identical to the other ones.

"Yes! We made it!" Sam exclaimed. There was another water fountain. She rushed over and drank.

"See! Maybe if we weren't grouchy at each other, we could've finished this part a long time ago!" Freddie exclaimed, sitting down.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sam said quietly.

"Well, you hungry?" Freddie asked.

Sam's stomach grumbled. "Yeeeeeessssssss!"

Freddie took the bacon. "We got bacon. I don't know what we're gonna use to cook it."

Sam thought. Then, she found a piece of rock beside the fountain. Then, there were a bunch wooden sticks at the other corner, next to Freddie. She grabbed them.

"Coincidence or not?" Sam said, rubbing the rock against the floor to start a spark. Soon, they had a full fire. They turned off the flashlight. Freddie started recording.

Sam built a stand by the fire. It looks like you could put a big, flat rock on top to put the bacon.

"All we need is something to place the bacon on, like a flat rock or pan," Sam said.

"Hold on," Freddie thought. He handed Sam the camera. He took the globe from the plastic bag. He took it out of the box and checked the stand for the globe.

"Perfect!" Freddie said.

"What?"

"The base of this globe is metal! Stainless steel!" Freddie said.

"So we can use that!" Sam exclaimed. "Here, I'll break it off."

Sam handed the camera back. She broke the metal base off of the globe and put it on the stand made of wooden sticks, which was nestled on top of the fire. As soon as it was hot enough, Sam asked for the bacon.

"You're a genius Freddie!" Sam exclaimed.

"I know."

"Haha, so how many pieces?" Sam asked.

"It's a big pack, but we don't know how long we're gonna be here. So might as well share it. One piece."

"What?" Sam said, outraged.

"Well, we want to have more bacon in the future!"

"Fine."

Sam put a piece of bacon on the makeshift skillet. It sizzled on all of it's fat. Sam and Freddie's mouth began to water from the smell of bacon.

Once it was done, they let it cool down. Then they split the bacon in half and ate it quickly.

"Mmm!" Sam said. "So good!"

"I know," Freddie said, licking his fingers.

"Well, that's it," Sam said, still hungry.

"Yeah," Freddie said.

"I'll wash this," Sam said, carrying the stainless steel pan to the fountain.

Sam washed the pan and put it inside the bag. They also took the stand that was made out of wooden sticks, just in case.

"Well, let's get some more shut eye, shall we?" Sam asked.

"Yup!" Freddie said, lying down next to her.

Without another word, they both fell asleep, hoping they can make it out of the tunnels alive, and hopefully, together.

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**A/N: Hopefully, this is good enough for today. I'll try updating tomorrow and/or the next day. Fun Fact: I'm already working in Chapter 10! Haha! :)**


	5. Under Surveillance

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 5: Under Surveillance**

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_Without another word, they both fell asleep, hoping they can make it out of the tunnels alive, and hopefully, together._

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It has been about a day since the agents visited Carly and Spencer. Carly was still bummed out about Freddie and Sam. They're missing! Carly couldn't even imagine how her life would change if Sam and Freddie were...dead. Carly hated using that word. Dead. It feels so sad and empty. It makes Carly just wanna scream.

Spencer was in the kitchen, fixing up a sandwich for lunch. Carly was sitting on the sofa, watching TV. That's all she did. Watch TV. She didn't even watch the show. She looked at the moving pictures, wondering if she was dreaming or not.

"Here you go Carls," Spencer said, trying to be upbeat, setting a plate of sandwich and orange juice on the table.

"Not hungry," Carly choked out.

"C'mon Carly!" Spencer said. "There's no reason to starve yourself! C'mon! Eat!"

"Eat?" Carly yelled. Spencer was taken back from her sudden rage. "Freddie and Sam probably have nothing to eat, and they're starving! But me, I have all the food in the world!"

"Carly-"

"No!" Carly interrupted, standing up. "This is stupid! This is so stupid! I miss Sam and Freddie! And they're gone without food! And I have food! I wanna help them out so bad!" Carly let the tears flow.

Spencer stood up. "Come here," he said, hugging Carly. She hugged back tightly. "I wanna help them out too. But we can't. There's nothing we can do right now except wait and hope for the best. I know it isn't the best answer in the world Carls, but, I guess it's just the way it is."

Carly cried into Spencer's shirt. Then she looked at Spencer. "I-I miss them!" she cried.

Spencer hugged tighter. "I do to kiddo."

The phone rang. Spencer let go of the hug and gave Carly the sandwich, which she started to devour. Spencer smiled. At least she's eating now.

"Hello?" Spencer said into the phone.

"Hello Spencer, this is Agent Sturgeon," Agent S said.

"Oh, hello," Spencer said.

"Yeah, Agent Ramírez and I are coming up to your apartment. Is that okay?"

"Sure! Yeah! Come right up!"

"Alrighty then."

_Click._

"Who was that?" Carly asked, drinking the juice.

"The agents," Spencer replied.

Carly became alert. "Do they have any info on Sam and Freddie?"

"I dunno. We'll see."

Then, the elevator door opened. The two agents stepped inside.

"Good afternoon," Agent S greeted.

"Why did you want to visit?" Spencer asked. Carly took the plate and her glass of juice and put it on the island, where she sat next to Spencer on the stool. The agents sat on the sofa.

"We have found some clues," Agent R said, pulling a CD out of his bag. "Can you put this in your DVD player?"

"Of course," Spencer said, taking the CD. He plopped the CD inside. He handed the remote to Agent R.

"We got some footage from a surveillance camera from a shop across the street," Agent R explained. "We think we know how they disappeared."

"How?" Carly asked.

"Watch."

They watched the street, eagerly waiting for Sam or Freddie to appear. Then, they appeared, walking on the other side of the road. Then, they stopped walking, looking at the alley they almost passed. They went inside.

"That is the exact location where Mr. Pogi was last seen. Now look at this when I fast forward it five hours," Agent R said. He pressed fast forward. Carly watched intently, hoping that Sam and Freddie would come out of the dark alley. They never came out.

"Oh my gosh!" Carly said, shedding some tears. She covered her mouth.

"We investigated the alley where they disappeared. We found nothing," Agent R said.

"I'm so sorry Carly," Agent S said. "We're trying the best we can, but right now, we're stuck between a wall and a hard rock. We can't do or find anything else."

Carly cried harder. Spencer rubbed her back. The two agents looked down, feeling the pain of the teenage girl. They've gone so many moments like this, and each one is as painful as before.

"We'll be back as soon as we find anymore info," Agent S said. They left abruptly.

Spencer hugged Carly. He couldn't say anything. He can't say that it's okay because it's not okay. He couldn't say anything else because he doesn't know what to say. It seems that anything that comes out of his mouth could be wrong and hurt Carly's feelings.

"Well, at least we got to see where they went," Spencer said.

An idea popped in Carly's head. She started planning, formulating. She let go of Spencer.

"You gonna be okay Carls?" Spencer asked.

"Yup, I'm just gonna take a nap," Carly said, wiping her eyes. "I'll see ya later."

"Rest well," Spencer said.

Carly headed for her bedroom. She sat on her bed, waiting. She looked at her clock.

2:00 PM

She waited more.

2:26 PM

Even more.

2:47 PM.

Sh waited even more.

3:00 PM

Carly sprang into action. She changed her shirt into a clean one, got a new jacket with a hoodie, changed into cargo pants, and filled her pockets with two flashlights, a bunch of batteries, some chocolate and candy, and money. In her jacket pocket, she stored a full water bottle, her cellphone, keys, and a Swiss Army Knife her dad gave her. She took some shades and put them on. Then she flipped the hoodie on and went downstairs quietly.

Carly silently took each step of the stair. She knew Spencer was asleep at three o'clock in the afternoon. So this was the perfect time for her to sneak out. But she had to be careful. Spencer is a light sleeper.

Carly tiptoed across the living and to the door. She unlocked the locks and went outside. She locked the locks from outside, making sure she was quiet. Then she turned around.

Carly saw Freddie's apartment door. She thought of Freddie. It broke her heart. Then, she wondered how Mrs. Benson is doing. She must probably be so devastated right now. She thought of visiting, but then she thought of her plan. She stalked away to the front door of Bushwell Plaza.

Carly was heading to the place where Sam, Freddie, and Mr. Pogi disappeared. The alley. But she didn't want to be seen. She tried as best as she could to dress without being caught under surveillance.

* * *

**A/N: I am just amazed at how many reviews I got for the last three chapters! You guys are amazing! I even got reviews from Mexico! I was like whoa! There was even one reviewer who liked my story so much that they are reviewing each chapter! Thanks for all the reviews! I appreciate it!**


	6. Fear Corrupts

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 6: Fear Corrupts**

* * *

_Carly was heading to the place where Sam, Freddie, and Mr. Pogi disappeared. The alley. But she didn't want to be seen. She tried as best as she could to dress without being caught under surveillance._

* * *

This time, Freddie woke up first. He turned the flashlight on washed his face and mouth with the ever-full water fountain.

Freddie gathered the things they needed for the journey, which was just a simple plastic bag, but it was full of their things that they needed.

Freddie sat down by one corner and turned the Flip Mino on. He pointed it towards himself. He thought of making a video of him talking to the camera.

Freddie sighed. "Well, we've been here in these tunnels for a few days now. I'm guessing three days. I just wanna get out of here. I miss everybody on the surface right now. It is continously dark here in the tunnels, but we have a flashlight. But that won't be enough, that's what I'm fearing." Freddie sighed. "I don't know if we're going to survive. I'm hoping for the best, but now, I'm afraid. It's like the tunnels are playing games with us. It's not fair. We're obviously at a disadvantage. With that in mind, I'm still scared. Even Sam is scared, I think." Freddie sighed again. "I'm just...afraid." He stopped recording.

Sam woke up immediately after Freddie made the video. Freddie was just glad she didn't see or hear. She freshened up and then they kept going. That's their only option now. Freddie started recording.

Sam read the passage. "Fear corrupts because things don't seem what they really are."

"Hmm..." Freddie thought.

"Ugh! I hate riddles!" Sam exclaimed. It echoed a bit, immediately sending chills to their spines.

Sam activated the door by putting her hand on the outline again. After a few rumbles and shakes later, the door was fully opened. They entered, then the door closed behind them.

This time, the tunnels were circle-shaped and wider. The whole tunnel was made out of a very black material. The ground was damp and squishy. There were different branches in the road already. One in the right, one in the middle, and one in the center.

"Which way?" Sam asked.

"You pick," Freddie said.

Sam breathed through her mouth. "Let's go." She stepped forward and into the left tunnel.

Freddie looked at Sam. 'She's afraid!' Freddie thought. He smiled. 'I guess I'm not alone.'

They walked for a few minutes until they heard a rumbling sound in the distance. Then came a roar. It sounded fearsome and terrifying.

"What was that?" Sam asked, scared.

"I don't know," Freddie's voice cracked.

Then, another rumble came from the distance. This time, it shook the ground. Then, a powerful wind came from behind of them. They covered their faces with their arms as they crouched down.

"Sam," Freddie said.

"What?"

"Run."

They ran as fast as they can, forward. They had no clue where they were going. The tunnels were now branched out. Every time you took a branch of the road, there would be more branches. Sam lead the way, so she randomly chose branches of the tunnel. These weren't tunnels anymore. It was a maze.

They stopped at a place where they were surrounded by branches. They were both struggling to get enough oxygen into their bodies. The huffed and huffed.

Once they got their normal breathing tempo, Sam spoke, "What do you think that was?"

"I don't know," Freddie said. "But I don't think it's human."

"Oh my gosh!," Sam exclaimed, pulling her hair. She was now terrifyed.

All of a sudden, another rumbling noise entered their ears, except this time, it was much closer. The roar was defeaning because it was too close.

"It's here," Sam whispered. "Oh my gosh! Run!"

They ran into a random tunnel, pushing way past beyond their limits. They had absolutely no strength right now. Adrenaline was controlling them now.

There was another roar. Now it was dangerously close. They turned a corner. Sam quickly sat down and leaned against the wall while pulling Freddie in.

"Why are we stopping?" Freddie gasped.

Sam struggled to speak. "I-huff-I can't-need rest!"

"But we can't stop it's practically here!" Freddie hissed. "Whatever it is."

A low but menacing growl came from where they were running from. It was way past dangerously close. It was here. Sam looked around the corner. She only saw darkness. She didn't want to point the flashlight because she was afraid it might give their location up. Suddenly, the monster appeared from the darkness.

It was at least ten feet. It had the head of a bull, but a body like a human. The head was fearsome. It had two large, golden horns coming from it's head, the nose had a large nose ring, and the eyes glowed a light, similiar to the one the saw when they were up in the alley. The body was big and muscular, it looked like they could tear anything apart. It was wearing a loin cloth with gigantic sandals.

Sam's eyes widened. She pulled back and started whispering, "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh-"

-Sam, what is-"

"It'sbigandscaryandterrifying-" Sam spoke too fast.

"Sam, slow down," Freddie said.

Sam stopped talking and looked at Freddie. "Minotaur," Sam whispered. Freddie's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh!"

"Sam, minotaurs aren't real," Freddie whispered.

"Well they are freakin now!" Sam hissed.

"This must be a dream," Freddie breathed.

"Freddie," Sam whispered as she grabbed Freddie's arm. "I'm scared." Freddie looked at Sam's eyes. They were filled to the brim with fear.

"I am too," Freddie said.

All of a sudden, a huge rumble shook the wall they were leaning on, causing them to fall to the ground, face first. Sam grabbed the flashlight and pointed where the Minotaur was. It was gone.

"Where in the heck did it go?" Sam said. Then, Freddie noticed a branch in the wall, which wasn't there before.

"Where did that branch come from?" Freddie asked.

Sam srunched her eyebrows. "That wasn't there before, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Wait a sec," Sam said. She walked towards the newly made branch. There was debris everywhere. Sam jogged back to Freddie. "The Minotaur made it!"

Then, another rumble with a roar erupted from behind them. The Minotaur was on all fours, heading towards Sam and Freddie. They both screamed and ran forward into a tunnel.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" Sam yelled with a high-pitched tone. Sam ran way faster than Freddie, who was already behind.

"Sam! Wait!" he called after Sam. She ran so fast that the flashlight kept bouncing up and down. They could hardly see in fron of them.

Sam saw a right turn corner, which she took. Then, she heard Freddie's voice.

"Aaaaahhh!" Freddie screamed in terror.

"Freddie!" she yelled. She ran back and saw a terrifying sight. The Minotaur caught up with Freddie and pinned him to the ground. The monster's mouth was wide open, about to eat Freddie. She tore a piece of the wall and threw it right at the monster's head. It's head snapped up. Sam hid behind a wall.

Sam felt something on her face. She touched them with her fingers. Tears. The one thing she never let out. Now she's crying there like a baby while her friend was gonna be eaten by a Minotaur.

The fear turned into anger. Sam wiped the tears away. She charged forward, yelling. "I'M NOT AFRAID!" It echoed through the tunnels, sending chills down Freddie's spine. It definitely caught the attention of the Minotaur. But before it could do anything, Sam landed a huge punch right on the face. It flew back an amazing five feet. Freddie stared in awe.

"Holy crud!" Freddie exclaimed, getting up. "You did it Sam!"

Sam sighed, smiling. "Yes I did!"

The Minotaur lay still, lifeless. The teenagers walked over to it. Then, the multicolored light surrounded the Minotaur. Freddie and Sam looked away because it was so bright. When it dimmed, they looked.

"What the heck?" Sam yelled.

"That's what we've been afraid of all along?" Freddie said, not believing it.

There in the ground lay a black dog.

"Huh, I guess the door was right again," Freddie said. "Fear corrupts because things don't seem what they really are."

"I was about to say that," Sam said, punching Freddie in the arm.

"Ow!"

Suddenly, the dog sprang to life. It made Sam and Freddie jump. They backed off a bit. But the dog sniffed their shoes and circled them both a couple of times. Then it went into a tunnel.

"I think it wants us to follow it?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, well, let's do it," Freddie said, taking a step forward.

Freddie took one step forward when the beam of the flashlight disappeared from in front of him. He looked back at Sam, who had the flashlight. She was lying on the ground, face-up.

"Sam!" Freddie yelled. He ran over to her and kneeled down.

Sam's eyes were closed, she was super sweaty and breathing too fast. Freddie touched her forhead. Burning hot.

"Sam, you over did it!" Freddie said. "You did too much! And you didn't have enough energy to carry out that punch. That was pure adrenaline."

Then, Freddie's vision began to blur. Then he dropped unconscious next to Sam. The last thing he saw was the black dog with the flashlight in his mouth, trying to turn it off.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for your guys's reviews! I love them! Hope you enjoyed!**


	7. I Am Pogi

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 7: I Am Pogi**

* * *

_Then, Freddie's vision began to blur. Then he dropped unconscious next to Sam. The last thing he saw was the black dog with the flashlight in his mouth, trying to turn it off._

* * *

_**Six years ago**_

Jetto Pogi moved to Seattle with his wife, Carla Pogi. Carla was totally against moving to Seattle because it was so depressing, always dark and raining. Jetto, better known as Jet, convinced her. They used to live in Japan. They're married for one year now.

"C'mon Carla," Jet persisted. "This is where we can start new! Get newer jobs! Maybe even start a new webshow! Name it iCarla!"

Carla smiled. "What is it about webshows that interests you?"

Jet shrugged. "I have no idea."

Carla sighed. "But I still don't want to move to gloomy Seattle. Out of all the cities, why Seattle?"

Jet smiled. He did his breath-taking smile and flipped his hair to the side. His hair was bell-shaped, going to the side. This made Carla smile.

"Don't you love it when I flip my hair," Jet said, teasing Carla.

"Maybe," Carla said silently.

"But c'mon!" Jet said. "We can both work at the same place! We never have to be away from each other." He kissed Carla on the cheek.

Carla laughed. "Fine, we'll move."

"Yes!" Jet exclaimed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You know, we don't have to stay in Seattle all our lives. We can move somewhere else."

"Like where?"

"I dunno, you choose."

"Let's move to Boston," Carla said. Jet nodded. "Or Miami." Jet turned his head. "Or Denver, or Sacramento, or Washington D.C., or New York City, or-"

"K honey, we'll decide later," Jet interrupted. Carla laughed and kissed Jet on the lips.

They moved from Kyoto to Seattle a few weeks later. They rented an apartment from an apartment building.

They packed their things up and said goodbye to their relatives in Japan. Carla cried, Jet was on the verge of it. They were going to miss them, but they knew they would see their relatives again.

They arrived on April 21, 2004.

"Ahhh!" Jet exclaimed as they got out of the taxi. "Here we are!"

"Bushwell Plaza?" Carla said, reading the tall building sign.

"Yup, they have huge apartments at low prices!" Jet exclaimed.

They got the luggage inside. They saw the doorman, who was sleeping with his head down on the counter. Jet ringed the bell. The doorman woke up and yelled. He didn't like being waken up.

"Yaaaaaaah!" the doorman screamed. Jet and Carla jumped back a bit. But really scared them was the huge wart on the guys face. Jet and Carla squirmed.

"Whaddya want?" the doorman said.

"Um, I rented an apartment here?" Jet explained. "Number 8-E, I think."

"Oh yes, the guys from Kyoto, Japan!" the doorman said with fake enthusiasm. Carla read his name tag.

'Lewbert,' it said.

"Here's your keys," Lewbert handed the keys to Jet.

"Thanks," Jet said.

"Yaaah!" Lewbert said.

Carla raised an eyebrow. She didn't like having a crazy doorman like Lewbert.

They took the elevator on the left. The put their luggage inside. Then, they pressed a button, and they headed up.

"So, whatcha think?" Jet asked.

"I think the doorman is a jerk," Carla said firmly.

"Well, hopefully he manages to be more nicer," Jet said.

The elevator door opened. They found room 8-E. They unlocked it and were surprised. It already full of furniture. They did buy the furniture while in Japan, but they didn't expect it to be there already. They didn't have a TV yet, but they could buy that later.

Jet set the luggage on the side and collapsed on the couch. Carla sat next to him and leaned on him.

"I hate jet lag," Carla said, yawning.

"Tell me about it," Jet said, rubbing his eyes.

"So listen..." Carla began.

"What?"

"I have something for you."

"Really? What is it?"

Carla took a small box from her pocket. A black box was revealed. "Here it is." She handed it to Jet. Jet smiled.

"What is it?" Jet asked, shaking the box by his ear.

"Open it," Carla said, almost screaming it. She was so happy.

Jet opened it. He gasped.

Inside the box was a ring. It's center was red, and inside that red center was a black, Japanese kanji character. "Love," Jet read. "How did you know that I wanted this?"

"Your mom told me," Carla laughed. Jet laughed with her.

"You know, I was going to buy you this," Jet said, pointing to the ring. "But they said somebody else bought it!"

"Oh it's okay, you didn't have to buy anything for me," Carla said.

Jet held a finger up. "That's why I got you this."

Jet took out a black box, similar to the first one. He handed it to Carla. Carla opened it. She gasped and smiled.

It was very similar to Jet's ring, but the center was green, and inside was a blue, Japanese kanji character. "Beautiful," Carla read. "Thank you so much." She kissed Jet on the lips.

They knew they would be prosperous in Seattle, for a very long time.

_**One year later in Seattle. April 21, 2005.**_

Everything is going great for the Pogi's. Since both of them went to nursing school, they got jobs as nurses. It didn't take long to get an RN status. They decided it would be best if they worked at different hospitals. They wanted to be at the same hospital, but they would be distracted by each other. Carla got used to Seattle. In fact, she's loving it. She's got used to the rain and the thunderstorms. Both of them kept their rings on. They were a symbol of their relationship. It complemented their wedding rings.

They worked day shifts and sometimes night shifts. Thy made good money. Jet persisted on buying a house because they had more than enough money, but Carla loved Bushwell Plaza too much. She even put up with Lewbert.

"Hey honey," Carla said as Jet entered the door. She was sitting on the couch, watching TV, remote handy.

Jet looked up, surprised. "You're home early."

"Yeah, I wasn't feeling well," Carla explained.

"What happened?" Jet asked. He didn't want to sit next to her. He just came from a hospital with a bunch of viruses and sicknesses. Carla knew.

"Take a shower first, I'll tell ya later," Carla said.

"Okay," Jet said.

Jet took a shower and went to sit next to Carla immediately. "So what's wrong?" Jet asked.

Carla lowered the volume to the TV down. She looked at Jet and smiled. "Why are you so handsome?"

"Pogi does mean 'handsome' in Filipino," Jet said. "Or Tagalog, same difference."

Carla laughed.

"So what's wrong?" Jet asked again.

"I lost my job," Carla said glumly.

Jet stood up. "What? Why?"

"I accidently gave a patient the wrong medicine. She was allergic to that medicine and had a crazy reaction. She died," explained Carla. A few tears escaped from her eyes.

Jet hugged Carla. "Oh, it's okay. You'll find another job."

"Will I?" Carla said. Jet sighed. He didn't really know.

"Well, I'll pick you up some dinner," Jet said as he stood up. "Be back in an hour."

"Okay."

Jet walked outside with a coat on and an umbrella. It was already raining, and hard. He opened the umbrella and stepped outside. It was freezing cold.

He went to the store. He bought some Japanese food. Jet knew Carla loved Japanese food. 'This should cheer her up,' he thought.

Jet walked back slowly, trying to think of how to make Carla feel better. He just couldn't think of any. It sucks.

Jet passed by an alley. He looked at the alley and stopped. There was a small, multicolored light in the darkness. It was so appealing. Jet just had to go look at it.

Jet walked inside the alley slowly, reaching out for the light. He got farther and farther in, the walls kept going in, making the alley narrower. Then, the floor collapsed under him.

Jet screamed.

The next thing he knew, his wrists here tied with metal cuffs. He was suspended from the ground. It was dark. He thought he had his eyes closed, when they were open already.

"Sorry, two people may move on," a deep and terrifying voice said in the distance.

"What? No!" Jet yelled. Then, he felt a sharp obeject be thrust into his stomach. He yelled loudly. It was pulled out after that. His vision blurred, even though he couldn't see anything. This was it, he's gonna die.

"I love you Carla!" he whispered, tears streaming. Breathing got harder. Soon, he wasn't even breathing anymore.

A few months later.

Carla was devastated. Jet never came home. She knew that Jet wouldn't cheat on her. She knew Jet would always be on time. Yet, she kept speculating things that could've happened. Maybe a kidnapping. Maybe he...died. The dreaded word that Carla hates. She cried. She called 911. They sent her some agents. They helped a little. Not a lot. They said they would do their best. Well, it hasn't got them anywhere. It's been a few months now since Jet's disappearance. Seems like there was no hope.

Carla looked at her ring. She cried harder.

* * *

**A/N: Kinda sad, but you know, it happens. Hope you guys enjoy and please review!**


	8. Groceries

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 8: Groceries**

* * *

_(Basically, the last chapter was about how Jetto Pogi died in the alley and how his wife, Carla, suffered the ramifications.)_

* * *

Carly walked down the street. It was gloomy, dark, and cloudy.

"Great weather," Carly mumbled sarcastically.

She walked fast, aching to find out what the heck happened to her best friends. She zipped past people, not caring if she bumped them a bit too hard.

A few minutes later, Carly arrived at her destination. The alley. She took out her flashlight and pointed it in. There was nothing. Pure black. She steps closer. She reaches in to feel if there was anything inside.

She steps in closer.

Her arm extends farther.

All of a sudden, a huge beast comes out. It had the head of a bull and the body of a human. It was 10 feet tall, its body muscled, built to destroy. It blew smoke out of its nostrils. It's eyes were glowing with a multicolored light.

Carly quickly withdrew her arm and stepped back. Her eyes filled with fear as the Minotaur took giant step forward. Carly stepped back and fell off the curb.

Then, she blinked. When she opened her eyes, the Minotaur's face was right in front of hers.

She screamed as loud as she can. The Minotaur roared a deafening rumble.

Carly opened her eyes with a jolt as she heard a rumble in the sky. She breathed deeply, her heart pumping.

Carly realized that she was on the ground, laid down, her arms beside her, and her legs straight. She was soaking wet from the rain.

Then, a man appeared, looking down at her.

"Are you alright dear?" the man asked. The man was old, white beard, wrinkly face, wearing a brown coat, holding a multicolored umbrella over his head.

"Yes, I think," Carly replied.

"Well, you come on in with me," the old man said, helping her up. She stood up, but could barely stand, her legs wobbly. The old man noticed and helped her limp.

"Your legs unable to hold ya?" the old man asked, putting Carly's arm over his shoulder.

"Yes," Carly replied.

They limped down the stormy street of Seattle, the streets practically empty, except for a few cars and buses.

The old man led them to a building about a block from where they were. The man quickly opened the door and led Carly in.

"I'm fine now, thanks," Carly said when the old man tried to help her walk again.

The old man smiled. "Good. Good."

They walked down a dimly lit hallway, giving the place an eerie feel. The old man stopped at a door to the right. He led Carly in.

"I'll go make you something hot," the old man said.

When the old man disappeared into the kitchen, Carly took a look around. The old man lived in an apartment. It was tidy and neat. Paintings of flowers and plants hung from the walls. The floor was a polished linoleum. The furniture was nice and clean, and the apartment smelled of flowers.

"You might wanna take them wet clothes off," the old man said, his head popping from the kitchen. "Ya don't wanna get hypothermia or nothin' like that."

Carly took out all of her belongings in the pockets. Then she took off her sweater, shoes and socks.

The old man gave her a big, dry towel to dry herself with. Carly wrapped it around her shoulders. Only then she realized it was cold and started shivering. The old man led her to the kitchen, where it was warmer. He sat her down on the table. He handed her a cup of hot tea.

"What would you be doing out there all alone in the cold?" the old man asked, sitting down next to her.

"Oh-" Carly's teeth chattered.

"Cold eh?"

Carly nodded.

"Well I just turned on the heater."

"Th-thank y-you for the ho-hospitality," Carly muttered, sipping the hot tea.

"No problem. So why were you out there?"

Carly drank a big gulp of tea. It almost burned her tongue. But she felt warmer instantly.

"I was doing some groceries," Carly replied.

"Really? How come there were no plastic bags near you?" the old man asked.

"I was mobbed," Carly blurted out. "Yeah, that's why I was on the ground."

"You don't look injured."

"Pressure points," Carly said. She didn't know why she was lying to the old man. She just did it.

"You seem familiar. What's your name?" the old man asked.

"I'm Carly," Carly said.

"Oh! Your from that show my granddaughter always watches! iCarly, right?" the old man asked.

"Yes, that's right," Carly said, sipping the tea.

"Well, I'm Jerry," the old man said.

"Pleasure to meet you Jerry," Carly said. She was freezing cold.

"Good, now that we know each other, why don't you tell me what really happened?" Jerry asked.

This made Carly's head snap up. "What?" she asked.

"I know you weren't there because you were mobbed for groceries," Jerry explained. "The gangs would only mob you if you go in an alley."

Carly sighed. "I was looking for my friends. They have been missing a few days now. They were last seen going inside the alley I was laying in front of."

"I see," Jerry said, stroking his white beard. "How many friends were there?"

"Two," Carly replied.

"Hmm...interesting..." Jerry said. He was in deep thought.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about the disappearances near that alley, do you?" Carly asked, very curious.

"Yes, my son-in-law got lost in that same alley," Jerry said. "He never came out."

Well, that was something Carly wanted to hear. But still, there is another person who got lost in that same alley. Carly was beginning to get scared of the alley.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Carly said.

"Yeah, well, it is what it is," Jerry replied. "Broke my daughter's heart though."

"Oh really? What happened?"

"They were a happy couple, all in love and everything. Then, all of a sudden, he disappears one night. She says that he was out to get dinner for them. He never came back."

Carly almost cried. She didn't want the same thing to happen to her friends.

"What happened to your daughter?" Carly asked.

"Well, she was in denial for a long time, then when she accepted it, she would cry nonstop because she always wore a ring that he gave her, then, she moved."

"Where did she move?"

"Back to Kyoto, Japan!"

Carly sighed. She was hoping that the daughter was still in the country so she could talk to her.

"Does she still wear her ring?" Carly asked.

"No, before she moved, she gave it to me to hide it," Jerry said. "But I know my daughter isn't gonna come back here to Seattle. So I keep it on here."

Jerry showed Carly the ring. He was wearing it on his left hand, ring finger.

The center was green, with a blue, Japanese kanji inside of it.

Carly raised an eyebrow. It looked somewhat familiar.

"That looks beautiful," Carly said, looking and trying to remember every detail about the ring.

"Yes, this is a very rare ring," Jerry explained. "There are only 1000 rings made that are similar to this one here."

Carly wanted to remember that ring. But she doesn't trust her own memory. Then, she saw her cell phone on her lap. An idea popped into her head.

"May I take a picture?" Carly asked, pointing at the ring.

"Sure! Knock yourself out!" Jerry exclaimed.

Carly unlocked her phone. She gets a pop-up message that says:

50 missed calls and 25 new text messages.

"Looks like Spencer is awake," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Jerry asked.

"Oh nothing," Carly replied.

Carly took two pictures, just to make sure. She was just about to text Spencer when Jerry interrupted her.

"Spencer needing to pick you up?" Jerry asked, smiling.

"How did you..." Carly was dumbfounded.

"Spencer sent me to the alley," Jerry explained. "He knew you'd be there."

"Oh, well, I should be getting back home!" Carly exclaimed.

"Alright, but first, call Spencer to pick you up," Jerry said.

Carly did what he said and Spencer picked up at the other line.

"Hello?" Spencer answered, his voice nervous.

"Spencer?" Carly said.

"Carly! Carly, oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're okay!" Spencer exclaimed. "What were thinking going to that alley? You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"Well, I'm not dead!" Carly replied.

"You're darn lucky not be dead, then," Spencer said, his voice rising. "I'll come get you now. Where are you?"

"Jerry's house."

"Good, I'll be there in a few minutes," Spencer said.

*Click*

Carly hung up too. Jerry was gone from the kitchen, nowhere to be found.

Carly sat there, sipping tea, feeling the loneliest she has ever been in her life.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks you all so much for the reviews! You guys have no idea how good it makes me feel! Thanks a bunch guys! Hope you enjoyed!**


	9. Man's Best Friend

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 9: Man's Best Friend**

* * *

_Carly sat there, sipping tea, feeling the loneliest she has ever been in her life._

* * *

Sam wakes up, body aching, head pounding, thirsty and hungry.

"Oh crap!" Sam complained as she sat up, leaning against a wall. "What in the heck happened?" She reached for the flashlight, but it was nowhere to be found. Then she finds it.

It was covered in some gooey slobber. "Eww!" Sam said, wiping her hand on her pants. The she flipped the switch to on and looked around the room.

The black dog was sitting in front of her, which made Sam jump a little. Then she remembered.

"Oh that's right!" Sam exclaimed. "I fainted!"

She looked around with the flashlight. She finds Freddie sleeping diagonally across from her, in a sitting position, head down, leaning against the wall. Sam was about to wake him up, but she thought that he might be needing the rest.

Sam looked around more, only to find the fountain right next to her.

"Where's the door then?" she asked, looking around. The dog walked over to a wall and put a small paw on it. Sam shone the flashlight on the wall, which was not a wall, it was the door.

"Wait, didn't we faint somewhere in the maze?" Sam asked. Then, the dog went up to Sam's lap and laid down, wanting his belly to be scratched.

"Aww!" Sam exclaimed. "You got us here didn't you? Thank you so much!" She rubbed the dog's belly and rubbed her nose against his.

Over in the corner, Freddie woke up in the same condition as Sam. Then he saw the flashlight from across him and heard someone speaking. It was Sam.

"This should be good," Freddie whispered, just listening to Sam's conversation with the dog.

"I just feel so lonely sometimes," Sam said, still rubbing the dog's stomach. "I feel empty inside that not even Carly can fill, you know?" The dog nodded a bit. "See, you understand me. Some people judge that I am a brute, scary person that will kill them, but really, I'm just a normal, who is abnormally strong."

Freddie smiled. He couldn't help it. Sam was finally relieving some of the built up tension she had inside.

"But being here has taught me a lot," Sam continued. "Maybe I could change. Treat Freddork-I mean Freddie-a bit better. Just a bit. You know I have to hurt him." The dog stuck out it's tongue.

Freddie smiled once more. Sam called him Freddie.

"Maybe we can get out of here," Sam continued, starting to cry. "We can-" *sniff* "Oh look at me, crying like a baby. But still do believe we can make it." Sam stopped rubbing the dog's stomach and rubbed her eyes, wanting the tears to go away.

The dog notices and puts his head on Sam's thigh.

Sam notices and pets the dog's head. "You're such a great listener. Maybe we can try to get outta here.

If we do, I'll take you as my pet, take care of ya. Then I'd introduce ya to my friends. Gibby, the really annoying fat kid. But sometimes he's cool. Mrs. Benson, Freddie's mom, who is way beyond the overprotective status."

Freddie nodded in agreement.

"She keeps on bothering Freddie everyday to do this and do that. I'd go crazy if I was Freddie. But now that I think about it, I don't think she's crazy."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. He'd sooner believe that pigs fly than believe that Sam doesn't think his mom is crazy.

"Yeah. She's not crazy. She just has an abnormal way to show that she cares for and loves Freddie."

Freddie smiled. Sam was opening up and letting things out! This was great for both of them.

"Not like my mom. She's a slob. Very lazy, barely cares about me, and the house is like a garbage dump! But in the past few months, she's getting better. Paying more attention to my needs, she actually has a job now that pays very well, and the house is almost as nice as Carly's! It's like a miracle! I have to thank that counselor Carly set us up with. Anyways, those are just some people I could introduce you to," Sam said, still crying, petting the dog's head. "I can introduce you to Principal Franklin, Wendy, you already know Freddie over there, and-" she cut off. Freddie notices and puts his head up. Her eyes were covered by her hand. "-Carly!"

Then had a complete breakdown and started crying. She cried really hard. Freddie thought that he should do something, but he knows that she doesn't like anybody seeing her cry. Then, he felt something on his face. Tears. He was crying too.

"I miss all of 'em!" Sam cries. "I miss all of 'em. I miss all of 'em!" Sam repeats this a few times. She uncovers her face, looking straight at the dog. The dog had big, round, peaceful eyes that sent a message to Sam.

"It will be alright," was the words ringing through Sam's mind.

Freddie was crying silently, thinking of the people they are missing.

"Thank you Mr. Doggy," Sam whispered, her crying slowing down. "Maybe someday...I'll tell you my secret." She looked at Freddie for a few moments. Freddie, still crying, got curious. Then Sam started to sing a song, the song she heard right before she ended up in this hellhole.

_"I'm not afraid_  
_To take a stand_  
_Everybody, come take my hand_  
_We'll walk this road together_  
_Through the storm_  
_Whatever weather_  
_Cold or warm_  
_Just lettin you know that, you're not alone_  
_Holla if you feel like you've been down the same road."_

Then Sam fell asleep.

Freddie was still crying lightly from Sam's talk with the dog. Thinking of all the people they are missing right now, it hurts just thinking about it. It's very saddening, but also motivating, motivating to get out of this place.

* * *

**A/N: Since this chapter is so short, I decided to upload it with the last one. Hopefully you guys liked it!**


	10. 愛

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 10: 愛**

* * *

_Freddie was still crying lightly from Sam's talk with the dog. Thinking of all the people they are missing right now, it hurts just thinking about it. It's very saddening, but also motivating, motivating to get out of this place._

* * *

The black dog licks Sam's face, causing her to wake up.

"Ahh! Get off!" Sam exclaimed. She wiped the dog slobber from her face. "Nothing like a bath in dog drool to wake me up." She walked to the fountain, turning on the flashlight.

"Ahh!" Freddie exclaimed.

"The dog drool on ya?" Sam asked, washing her face with the water.

"Yes!" Freddie yelled, disgusted.

Sam laughed. Freddie walked over to the fountain, washing his face off.

"There's nothing funny with slobber on my face!" Freddie exclaimed, wetting his face and hair.

"Oh you're such a dork!" Sam laughed. "Anything on your face is funny."

"Whatever," Freddie replied, drying his hair with his jacket. Sam saw him do this, and she looked at her hair.

"Ugh!" Sam moaned in disgust. "I wish I could wash my hair. It's all dirty and stuff."

"I think it looks great," Freddie said, gathering their things.

"For reals?" Sam asked, blushing.

"Heck ya! It'd look even better if you stop teasing me."

"Nice try."

"It was worth a shot," Freddie said, taking out the camera. He started recording.

"What does the door say?" Freddie asked.

"It says: The answer to find the way out is the answer to the following riddle.

"It says: The solution to get to the next door is the answer to the following.

"What is the cause of most of the discord in the world, as well as most of the cooperation?" Sam read.

"Hmm..." Freddie thought.

"I hate riddles!" Sam yelled. She stepped up to the door and opened it.

They stepped inside, along with the dog, and the door closed behind them. The tunnels were now made of stone and rock, circular, very wide, cracks everywhere.

Sam kept petting the dog. "I love this dog!" she exclaims.

"If you love it so much, why don't you marry it?" Freddie laughed, putting away the camera.

"Haha, that's so funny, the last time I laughed at that joke, I fell off my dinosaur!" Sam said sarcastically.

Freddie shook his head at the ridiculous comeback. Sam kept petting it, the dog responding by lifting its head up for more.

"Aww! You're such a sweet dog," Sam said. "Maybe I should name you."

"Let's name it Sam," Freddie said.

Freddie received a hard punch on the shoulder for the comment.

"Ow!" Freddie shouted, grabbing his shoulder. "What? It did try to kill me."

"No more smart ass talk from you," Sam said.

"Watch your language Sam!" Freddie said.

"Whatever mom!" Sam said, irritating Freddie. "So, a name...hmm..."

"You could name him Jet," Freddie said. "You know, his fur, it's a jet-black color."

Sam nodded, looking at Freddie. "That sounds pretty cool! Jet! I love it! Thanks Fredweed, ya finally did something right."

Freddie bowed. "Glad to be of an assistance." Sam laughed.

They walked for an hour before Sam started whining.

"Did you find out the answer to that stupid riddle yet?" Sam asked, tired. Jet was walking slower than usual too.

Freddie repeated the riddle. "Well, it's something that gets people to be uncooperative and cooperative."

"This is nuts!" Sam exclaimed. "I am not a genius!"

"Think! The answer has to be something that can get us outta here," Freddie said, his head slightly hurting. "And something that can answer that riddle."

"Easy there Freddork, wouldn't wanna hurt yourself," Sam said sarcastically.

"Shut up Sam!" Freddie snapped at Sam.

"Whoa! Easy there buddy!" Sam taunted. "You don't wanna pop a vain!"

"Really Sam, if you want to get to the next door, why don't you use your under-used noodle-" Freddie poked her on the right temple. "-and think for the answer!"

Sam rolled her eyes. "My noodle is not under-used!"

"Really? Seems to me that all those past riddles we encountered were solved by me!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Shut up Fredbag!" Sam shot back. "Seriously, lay off! You're supposed to do the thinking while do anything that is physical!"

Freddie laughed. "What about se-"

"Don't you dare say that word!" Sam sneered, holding a fist up.

"Chill! Gosh, it was only a joke!"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

They walked through the stone maze, finding dead ends and retracing steps. It was really getting to Sam's nerves. She was unnaturally impatient.

"I bet Jet could do better than you, right buddy?" Sam said, petting his soft fur.

"Seriously Sam-" All of a sudden the flashlight died. Sam got scared and screamed in a high-pitched tone.

"Relax! The flashlight only died!" Freddie said, laughing.

"You better shut up or the flashlight's not the only one ending up dead!" Sam threatened.

Then, a sudden rumble from the ceiling shook the whole place. Freddie got the batteries in just in time and shone it above. Small pebbles and chunks of rock we're falling. He found Sam and Jet. He grabbed her wrist and they ran. Jet followed.

"Why in the heck is it rumbling like this?" Sam asked.

"It's probably cuz of your scream!" Freddie exclaimed.

"What a late reaction then!" Sam shouted.

More and more rocks fell. Then the rocks got bigger, turning into boulders for some. They ran faster than they thought they could in their state of hunger and weakness. Freddie kept a tight grip on Sam. Jet was behind them.

After about a half-mile, Sam tripped on a chunk of rock, making Freddie lose his grip on her. Freddie stopped running. He was about 5 feet away from Sam. Jet was next to the fallen Sam.

"Sam!" Freddie yelled.

"I'm fine!" Sam responded getting back up. All of a sudden, there was a huge, loud rumble. Then, right above Sam, huge rocks started to fall.

Freddie's eyes widened.

"SAM!"

Everything slowed for Freddie. Jet ran back a few feet to avoid the rocks. Freddie ran as fast as he could to Sam. Sam still didn't notice the falling boulders. Freddie looked up.

The boulders were almost to her.

There was 2 feet left to run.

Freddie dove for Sam.

He managed to push Sam out of the way, about 3 feet.

Freddie landed face down.

The boulders crushed him.

There was a deafening crack.

Then the howl of pain that came from Freddie's mouth ripped through their ears.

Then the rumbling stopped.

"FREDDIE!" Sam yelled.

Freddie was throwing up blood in large amounts. Sam felt hot tears flow down her face as she was trying to remove rocks on top of him.

"FREDDIE!" Sam yelled again. She managed to get the small rocks away. Then she found a huge boulder right on top of Freddie's back.

"Oh my god!" Sam cried. "Freddie, can you wiggle your toes."

"Yes," Freddie said weakly, throwing up another mouthful of blood.

Sam grimaced at the sight. Then she went back to the boulder. She tried lifting it but it didn't budge.

Sam was winded. "It's too heavy!"

Then Jet walked up to her, nudging his nose to her thigh, motivating her.

Sam nodded. With all her strength, plus a little more, she screamed at the top of her lungs and managed to carry the boulder. Then she threw it off of Freddie.

Sam took Freddie and laid him into her arms.

"Freddie!" she cried, tears flowing.

"Sam," Freddie said weakly. "Sam..."

"I'm here..." Sam smiled.

Freddie smiled back. "Sam, what is your secret?"

"What?"

"Your secret. You were talking to Jet. You said you might tell him your secret. Can I ask what that secret is?"

Sam's hand brushed her pocket. She felt something inside. She felt inside for anything. She got it and pulled it out.

It was the ring.

Sam's eyes widened. "I think I know what the answer to the riddle is. What is the cause of most of the discord in the world, as well as most of the cooperation?"

"What may that be?" Freddie asked.

"Love," Sam whispered. "That's the answer and my secret. Love."

Freddie smiled lightly. "Way to use your noodle."

Sam smiled. "That's my secret. I love you! I love you Freddie Benson!"

Freddie smiled. "That's why you keep hurting me. That's the 'discord' in the riddle. The cooperation is how we're still alive! Well, barely."

Sam smiled, tears in her eyes. "I love you."

Freddie smiled back. "I love you too."

Sam leaned down and shared their second kiss.

Then, the ring Sam was holding lit up a red color. A wall next to them lit up the same color. The wall went inward, then slid up. It revealed the next door.

"We made it!" Sam exclaimed. She looked at Freddie. His eyelids were slowly closing.

"Freddie!" Sam yelled. "Stay with me here! FREDDIE!"

"Relax!" Freddie shouted. Then he clutched his side, grimacing the pain. "I mean, I'm fine, I'm just getting some rest."

Sam glared at him. "If you weren't injured, you'd be beaten up by me," Sam said.

Sam carried Freddie to the small cove that usually accompanied every door. She set him down next to the fountain. Coincidently, there was some wooden sticks and a first-aid emergency kit.

"Go to sleep Freddie," Sam said. "I'll take care of you."

Freddie smiled and let his heavy eyelids drop.

* * *

_Freddie was surrounded by darkness. He looked around to find only one light source. It was behind him. He covered his eyes from the brightness. Once his eyes adjusted, he saw a very familiar sight._

_It was the street. The street where he and Sam encountered the alley._

_Then, a girl wearing a hoodie jacket, shades, and cargo pants appeared. Then she took off the shades and the hood. She whipped her hair around to let it loose. Freddie recognized her instantly._

_It was Carly._

_She walked forward slowly. Freddie knew that if she went in, she would drop into the maze. He tried to do something, like yell to her or run to her. It didn't work. His legs were stuck. She inched in to the darkness._

_He looked around the alley to get something to catch her attention. Then, he noticed a large item next him. Upon closer examination, he recognizes it as human girl. He flipped her to face him._

_It was Sam, eyes wide open, blood dripping from her head._

_Freddie started crying. The sight scared him. He wanted to move but couldn't. He tried to yell, but couldn't. He turned to Carly again. She was right in front of him._

_Then, she started crying._

_"Freddie, where are you?" she cried, her voice echoing._

_Then, she dropped into the ground, falling into the maze._

_She screamed._

_"FREDDIE!" she yelled, her voice echoing again._

_Freddie tried to do something, but his body wouldn't budge. Then, he felt white-hot pain in his chest area. He looked down._

_A blade, covered in blood, was sticking out._

_He opened his mouth and screamed in pain._

* * *

Freddie finally heard himself yell as he opened his eyes, feeling searing, white hot pain erupted from his chest. The pain subsided just enough to let him calm down and settle. He looked around.

There was a fire in the middle of the cove. On top of the fire were four strips of bacon, sizzling in it's own fats and grease, sitting on the makeshift skillet. Freddie's mouth started to water immediately. Then he saw Sam in front of him, taken back from the screaming, her eyes wide. Jet was laying next to the bacon.

"Freddie, I'm so sorry!" Sam said.

"For what?" Freddie said, trying to sit up.

"I wouldn't do that!" Sam exclaimed. "I tried to do that once, you threw up blood."

Freddie put his head down, touching a soft object. He took it and saw that it was Sam's jacket. He put it back on his head.

His head throbbed and his heart was pounding away. Sweat covered him and his whole upper body seared with pain. He felt terrible, like very sick. He notices that his shirt, shoes and socks are off.

Freddie groaned in pain. "The heck d'ya do to me to wake me up?"

"I tried to count how many broken ribs you had," Sam explained. "I tried to be as gentle as possible, but the last rib I touched I bit too hard."

"Tell me about it," Freddie said. "How many broken ones?" Then he groaned in pain again.

"Besides two, all of them," Sam said.

Freddie's eyes widened. "What?"

Sam nodded. "You're lucky too. If you can wiggle you're toes, you're not paralyzed then."

Freddie wiggled his toes with no effort at all. "I'm fine waist down."

"So Freddie," Sam said, looking at the fire. "Do you recall anything before you fell asleep?"

Freddie thought. "Oh yes. I saved you. I am barely alive. And you love me." Sam turned her head to Freddie. He was smiling.

"That doesn't change anything between us," Sam said, looking away.

"It changes everything!" Freddie exclaimed, groaning a bit. "It's not gonna be the same anymore. You know that."

Sam looked at Freddie. "Freddie, back there I said I loved you. Maybe that was a bit too much to say at first. I like you, but not necessarily love you." Then she looked away again.

"Sam," Freddie said. "When you said that you loved me, that was real. You do love me. I don't know how long you loved me, but I know you do. You've fallen in love with me. All those years of being tortured physically and mentally was just a mask of how you like me. But I bet that you just recently fell in love with me."

"Freddie," Sam said. "You're wrong. I like you, but I don't love you."

"Really? Then how come we passed the last question?" Freddie let that sink in.

"Because we kissed," Sam answered.

"Yes, but because that kiss was full of love," Freddie explained. "Stop trying to hide this from me Sam, I am smarter than you and you know it."

"Bacon's ready," Sam said, taking the hot skillet off the fire with sticks.

"Sam," Freddie said softly.

"Stop!" Sam snapped all of a sudden. "I don't know if I love you or not! I don't know if I should love you! Okay? Please! Stop and let me think about this! I am having mixed feelings about this.

Freddie sighed and nodded. He looked crestfallen.

"Freddie, I'm sorry. It's just that-"

"Sam, it's okay," Freddie said. "Do what you gotta do. I can wait."

"Wait, I thought I liked Carly," Sam asked.

Freddie laughed lightly. "You really believed that?"

Sam was dumbfounded.

"So, can I have a piece of bacon?" Freddie asked.

Sam took the four strips of bacon. He gave one to Jet, two for Freddie, and one for herself.

Jet devoured his in no time. Sam was quicker. Freddie took it slow.

"Why do I get two pieces?" Freddie asked. "I'm as hungry as you, I don't need two."

"You need it," Sam said firmly. "Your body needs it. Come on, just eat it. It's hard enough to give you two pieces of bacon, let alone watch you eat it."

Freddie smiled.

"It's hard to breathe," Freddie said.

"Yeah, that's one of the side effects," Sam said, wishing for more bacon. "I read it in the first aid kit."

"What else did it say?" Freddie asked.

"You need to stay relaxed," Sam explained. "Make sure you get plenty of rest, lots of water, which is right next to you-"'she pointed to the fountain next to him. "-and do some breathing practices."

"Like what?"

"Breathe deeply for a few minutes every hour. It might hurt, but this helps you breathe normally."

Freddie tried it. The pain returned, making him groan.

"I don't think I'm ready for that yet," Freddie said, groaning.

"It also said to put some ice on the ribs to reduce swelling. I just splashed you with some of the water. It was cold enough. Later, I'll soak your shirt and place it on your chest."

"Coolio," Freddie responded.

"Then, I'll wrap some cloth around you to help the ribs stay in place."

"Won't that disturb with my breathing?"

"Not if you wrap lightly."

"Thank you Doctor Puckett for that info!" Freddie said, trying to lighten up the mood.

Sam smiled. "No problemo!"

Then, a breeze flew in from the maze. Sam shivered. Freddie noticed.

Sam got a face-ful of her jacket.

"Wait, you need this," Sam reasoned.

"It's yours," Freddie said. "You need it more than my head does."

Sam smiled and put on the jacket.

"Freddie, sleep, we need you to recover fast," Sam said, laying down next to the already asleep Jet.

"Thanks Sam," Freddie said as he closed his eyes.

"For what?" Sam yawned.

"For helping me."

Sam smiled. "That's what friends are for." She closed her eyes.

"No," Freddie whispered. "We're more than that." Then he fell asleep.

* * *

**A/N: One of my biggest chapters yet! It could be the biggest chapter I have right now! Thanks for your reviews guys! They help me keep going! And it's 2011 already! Yay! Kinda late, but whatever. Years go by so fast. Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	11. M&M's

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 11: M&M's**

**

* * *

**

_"Thanks Sam," Freddie said as he closed his eyes._

_"For what?" Sam yawned._

_"For helping me."_

_Sam smiled. "That's what friends are for." She closed her eyes._

_"No," Freddie whispered. "We're more than that." Then he fell asleep._

_

* * *

_

Carly was laying on the sofa, watching TV. It has been already a week since Sam and Freddie's disappearance. Life sucked for Carly. She canceled iCarly, which was one of the hardest things she has ever done. She was so depressed that Carly sat in front of the TV all day. She would usually be hanging out with Sam and Freddie, enjoying the warm sun or hating the stormy rains, outside, breathing some fresh air. The only time she got up was for eating, bathroom, and school.

Speaking of school, it hasn't been pretty the past week. Carly's A's dropped down to a D minus. Spencer, concerned about his little sister, tried to talk to her. She always refused. Carly was locking herself up.

Carly was lonely.

Spencer did all in his power to try and get Carly at least a bit happier. No such luck. Eventually, he gave up on her. He knew how hard this was, but he didn't know what else to do.

Carly stood up and went to get something to drink. Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Carly called, sitting down in the sofa.

The door opened to a very worried Mrs. Benson.

"Great," Carly muttered under her breath.

"Carly," she said calmly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Carly replied, no emotion.

"I know this is hard to accept," Mrs. Benson said, sitting down next to Carly. "We'll just have to wait for them to come back."

"I thought you'd be freaking out by now," Carly said. "In fact, I'd be crazy if I didn't say you didn't freak out the moment they got lost!"

"I already freaked out," Mrs. Benson said. "That's why I've been gone for so long. I had to calm myself down before I interact with other people, or things would've gotten ugly."

"I bet," Carly said, smiling a bit.

"So, how're you feeling?" Mrs. Benson asked.

"Bummed out," Carly said, turning off the TV. "I'm always here watching TV by myself."

"You've been crying?" Mrs. Benson asked.

"Oh yeah, definitely," Carly said remembering the hundreds of times she cried the past week.

There was an awkward silence. Then Mrs. Benson broke it with a slight, quiet laugh.

"I remember when Freddie was four years old when he got lost in the mall," Mrs. Benson said. Carly paid attention. "The mall was too big for him. He got separated from me. He was lost. I freaked out. My mind went into panic mode. I was harassing people, going to people, showing them a picture of Freddie. Then I broke to tears after an hour of searching. Then, he just came up to me."

"Wait, what?" Carly said, a bit confused.

"He just appeared from nowhere and approached me. He asked me why I was crying. I gave him a big hug. Then I told him that I was crying because I lost him. Then he explained that he thought I looked hungry. So he went into a candy store and bought me a packet of M&M's."

"They let a four-year old boy buy something?" Carly asked.

"Yup. He apparently got the money from his piggy bank, saving up for later. But he brought a dollar just in case."

"What was the point of that story?" Carly asked, a bit rude; not too much though.

"The point is that if you lose something, don't let anything slow you down or change your emotions. Stay calm and do something that could help. But if you are stuck, let them come to you."

Carly nodded, letting the lesson sink in. Then she noticed Mrs. Benson was holding a bag. It was a paper bag, one of those fancy ones that you use for gifts.

"What's in there?" Carly asked.

"Oh, this is for you," Mrs. Benson said, handing it to Carly. "There are enough for you and Spencer. Please use them Carly. It might cheer you up."

Carly looked inside. There were movie tickets, concert tickets, gift cards, all that good stuff.

Carly faked a smile. "Thanks Mrs. Benson."

Mrs. Benson smiled. "You're welcome dear."

They hugged each other for a few seconds. Carly was the first to pull away.

"Well, I gotta run," Mrs. Benson said. "Gotta do some chores around the house."

Carly noticed how she was cool, calm and collected.

Mrs. Benson!" Carly called right before she left. Mrs. Benson stuck in a head.

"Yes?"

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Stay so calm about this whole situation?"

Mrs. Benson smiled slightly. "Stay positive. I know this isn't the way I would've normally reacted. But does freaking out over someone who is lost bring them back? No. It just makes things worse. So you gotta stay positive. They are coming back." Mrs. Benson said the last part firmly. "I gotta go." She left abruptly.

Carly thought about her talk with Mrs. Benson. She knew the things that she had said already. She just didn't know how to do it. It was too hard for her to stay positive. Her mind would keep wandering off into how Sam got raped and Freddie got shot. Then she got even more depressed. Her mind was thinking on it's own. She couldn't control it.

Then, Carly threw the bag Mrs. Benson gave her to the ground. She turned on the TV and continued watching.

A few minutes later, Spencer came in from the front door.

"Hey Carly," he greeted.

"I never knew you left," Carly mumbled.

"I told you I was leaving," Spencer said. "I was gonna get something to eat for dinner."

"Oh, I didn't notice," Carly said.

Spencer sighed. He had enough of Carly's glumness. He knew this was hard for her, but she didn't need to act like how she's acting right now. Then he noticed a small paper bag on the ground. He looked inside.

"Hey, who gave you these?" Spencer asked.

"Mrs. Benson," Carly said. "She was here for a talk."

"Oh really?" Spencer asked, sitting down next to her. "Why don't we use some of these?"

"Right now?" Carly asked.

"Yeah!"

"No," Carly said firmly.

"C'mon Carly! Let's go watch a comedy! You know, laughing releases endorphins, which makes you feel better."

Then, Carly snapped. "Sam and Freddie are lost out there, somewhere to a God-forsaken place, and you want me to laugh to feel better? Huh?" Then she started crying.

Spencer scooted closer and gave Carly a hug. Carly accepted the hug.

"I'm sorry Spencer," Carly cried.

"It's okay," Spencer said. "Crying releases endorphins too."

Carly felt weak and vulnerable. And that's what she was right now. Something else overtook her. One of the most powerful things ever. Her mind.

* * *

**A/N: A very short chapter, I might add the next chapter a bit later. If you guys really like this story, please spread the word, I would love new people checking my story out, so if you want to, please spread the word about this story. Thanks so much guys for all the support you have given me so far! More to come soon! Soon meaning tomorrow! :)**


	12. Problems

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 12: Problems**

**

* * *

**

_Carly felt weak and vulnerable. And that's what she was right now. Something else overtook her. One of the most powerful things ever. Her mind._

* * *

Freddie woke up, feeling dizzy and sick. His chest still itches with pain. He carefully leaned over and got some water.

Sam was already awake, talking to Jet, petting him. The fire was still going strong, and three pieces of bacon was on the makeshift skillet.

"Morning," Sam said.

"How do you know it's morning," Freddie said, wincing in pain a bit.

"I dunno," Sam replied.

Freddie looked down and saw that he was wrapped with some strips of cloth.

"When did I get this on?" Freddie asked.

"I put it on you while you were sleeping," Sam said. "Man, was it a bitch to do!"

Freddie laughed slightly. "Sam," Freddie said firmly.

"I'm sorry for the language, blah blah blah."

"How long will my ribs heal again?" Freddie asked.

"I never told you how long the ribs would heal."

"Whatever, just tell me how long."

"Your ribs are pretty badly broken. Each isn't too serious though. If the ribs heal altogether, it will be about six weeks."

"What?" Freddie exclaimed.

Sam laughed. "Yeah, I was like that too. Then I noticed the door. Read what it says.

Freddie read it aloud. "Before continuing to the next maze, you must answer this riddle.

"_The problems of the world_  
_Added with a T_  
_Throw me of a building_  
_I survive_  
_Throw me into an ocean_  
_I die_  
_What am I?_" Freddie read.

"Looks like we're gonna be here awhile," Sam said, petting Jet. "I hate riddles!"

"Hmm..." Freddie thought.

"Bacon's ready," Sam said. She handed Freddie two pieces. Sam split the one left and handed a half to Jet.

"Sam, come on, this is ridiculous!" Freddie exclaimed. "I get two pieces while you share one piece. Come on, take one of mine."

"Freddie!" Sam said. "You need this more than me. The more food you consume, the better your body will heal."

Freddie sighed. "It just kills me having to eat more bacon than you."

"It kills me too," Sam said. Freddie laughed.

"Ow!" Freddie yelled as he was laughing, grabbing his sides. "Okay, no laughing too hard."

They ate in silence. Jet disappeared. Sam noticed.

"Where's Jet?" Sam asked.

"I saw him go back into the maze," Freddie said.

"Oh."

"Aren't you worried?" Freddie asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Oh, because last time he disappeared, he came back with more sticks. He's probably getting more."

"Oh."

Freddie drank some water from the fountain. Sam did too. Then, Sam soaked Freddie's T-shirt with the cold water, which she then placed on Freddie's ribs.

"Oh!" Freddie jumped from the coldness.

"Cold eh?" Sam asked, smiling.

Freddie smiled back. "You know, when I see your smile, I can feel my pains and problems melt away for a bit."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Are you hitting on me?"

"I dunno, you tell me," Freddie said, putting his hands under his head.

Sam stared at him. "Well, if you were, that was a pretty cheesy attempt. I'm not like the other girls out there. I don't like all that cheesy, gooey, lovey-dovey, exaggeration love thing that most other people do."

"Why are you telling me this?" Freddie asked.

"So next time you try to hit on me, you'll do better!" Sam exclaimed.

"Wait, how do you know I'm hitting on you again?"

"Because you said you loved me!" Sam said in a very fake princessy voice.

Freddie blushed. "Hey!"

"Oh look! Someone's blushing!" Sam teased.

"Is this how you show that you love me?" Freddie asked. "Fine! I love you too Sam!"

Sam rolled her eyes as she blushed. "Shut up."

"Oooh! Someone's blushing!" Freddie teased.

Then, Sam threw a stick at Freddie to shut him up. It landed on his legs. As he reached for the stick, he notices that he's not wearing his pants anymore. He was wearing some sport shorts, colored green and white.

"Uh Sam?" Freddie asked. "What in the heck am I wearing?"

Sam looked. "Uh, sport shorts?"

"Yeah, how did I get into them?" Freddie asked.

Sam opened her mouth. Nothing came out.

"Uh huh," Freddie said.

"I've been trained to kick some butt by a karate master from Japan while blindfolded," Sam said. "I think I can put you into new clothes without...you know...looking." She turned around, then back at Freddie. "I'm not saying that's what I did, but you know..."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "You can do karate blindfolded?"

"Yeah," Sam said, sitting next to Freddie, who was still lying down.

"Where'd you get these shorts anyway?" Freddie asked.

"Jet found them with the sticks," Sam replied.

"Oh."

Freddie stared at Sam for a while, thinking. Sam didn't notice.

"Sam," Freddie called.

"Mmhm?"

"If we make it out alive," Freddie said, licking his lips. "Do you wanna, maybe, you know-"

"Date?" Sam finished.

"No, well, yes."

Sam sighed. "I really wish you wouldn't talk about dating, especially about us."

"C'mon, just say yes or no."

"No."

"Sam!"

Sam sighed. "Freddie, I'm just too confused about my feelings right now. I want to, but I feel like I can't. All those years of making you miserable are the only memories I have of having fun with you. Picturing you dating me is kinda awkward to me."

"I understand," Freddie said, a bit downhearted.

Sam played with the ring, spinning it and such. Freddie notices.

"Where'd you get that?" Freddie asked.

"Oh, this?" Sam asked, pointing to the ring. Freddie nodded. "I got it from the dead guy back when we just fell into this whole mess."

"Oh, he was wearing it?"

"Yup. See that Japanese kanji in the middle?" Sam pointed to the kanji character. Freddie nodded. "It means love."

Freddie smiled. "Is that how you figured out the last question?"

"Yes," Sam said. "Did you notice that it glowed red and opened this door for us?"

"Yeah, I was about to ask that. Is there a connection with that ring and this maze?" Freddie asked.

"I dunno, but I bet this place is like magical or something."

"Yeah, this place really gives me the creeps."

"Well get used to it, we'll have to stay here for at least another six weeks," Sam said.

"I'll try to recover faster than that," Freddie said.

Sam smiled. "In a sense, this is like a vacation."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! You know, free from the pressures of life and teenage issues."

Freddie's ears went alert suddenly.

"Wait, say that again?" Freddie asked.

"What?"

"What you just said," Freddie said. Then, Jet comes in walking, sticks in his mouth.

"I said we're free from the pressures of life and teenage issues," Sam said. "Why?"

Freddie smiled. He restated the riddle again.

_"The problems of the world_  
_Added with a T_  
_Throw me of a building_  
_I survive_  
_Throw me into an ocean_  
_I die_  
_What am I?"_

"Let me guess," Sam said. "You figured it out."

Freddie exclaimed. "Yes! Problems of the world! It's asking for a word. The word is issues!"

Sam's eyes widened as she figured it out as well. "Add a T. Tissues?"

"Exactly!" Freddie exclaimed. "Throw it off a building it stays as it is when it hits the ground. Throw it into an ocean, it gets wet and it's ruined! The answer is tissue!"

All of a sudden, part of the wall in front of Freddie slid sideways, revealing a titanium door as small as a small locker. It didn't have a handle, it only had small hole, probably for a key.

Sam stood up and took a closer look. "Freddie, you are a genius!" Sam exclaimed.

She examined and then tried to open it. It wouldn't budge.

"It's stuck!" Sam said.

An idea popped into Freddie's mind. "Trying putting the ring in the hole.

Sam nodded and put the ring inside the hole. It barely fit. Then, Sam turned the ring within the hole, causing the door to unlock.

Then, on the door with the riddle, part of the wall slid inwards, then sideways, revealing a handprint to open that door.

Sam and Freddie turned their attention back to the smaller door. Sam carefully opened the door. Inside was a really small bottle, filled with some kind of liquid. Sam grabbed it. Then she took the ring off the lock and closed the door.

"What was inside?" Freddie asked.

Sam held up the small bottle between her thumb and pointer finger. "This," Sam said.

"What is it?" Freddie asked.

"Quick-a-heal," Sam read the label. "It heals all broken bones, muscle tears, cuts, bruises and all that stuff with only one dose! It's so powerful, it leaves you feeling refreshed and powerful, ready for action right after drinking it! Best of all, no side effects!"

"Sounds too good to be true," Freddie said.

"You should try it," Sam said. She read the 'How to Use' section. Then handed it to Freddie. "Just drink one small drop."

"Alright," Freddie said. He unscrewed the lid. He carefully tilted the bottle into his mouth until he felt a small drop on his tongue. Then he swallowed it.

"So?" Sam asked.

Freddie waited. Then he handed the bottle back to Sam. Then he made a face.

"It tastes terrible, I can tell you that," Freddie said.

All of a sudden, a pain, greater than he has experienced before erupted on Freddie's chest. He started to squirm and scream in pain. Sam panicked.

"Freddie, what's happening?" Sam yelled.

Freddie kept howling in pain. It was the worst pain ever. Then, as quickly as it came, the pain disappeared.

Freddie was out of breath, his whole body covered in a thin layer of sweat. He went up to the fountain and splashed his face with some water.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked, slowly approaching him.

"Yup," Freddie said, standing up. "In fact, I feel great!" He did some jumps and push-ups to prove that. "Man! I feel amazing!"

"Your ribs?" Sam asked.

Freddie touched them. "All of them are healed!"

"This stuff is amazing!" Sam exclaimed.

"No more waiting six weeks!" Freddie exclaimed, jumping around.

"You think I should try a drop?" Sam asked.

"Go for it. It might hurt, but it'll make you feel good."

"How bad does it hurt?" Sam asked.

"Very bad. And that's an understatement."

Sam looked at the bottle. She had hesitations, but she had to remind herself to be fearless. She dropped a single drop of the magic liquid into her mouth, then swallowed. Then, she handed the bottle to Freddie.

"You're right," Sam said, making a face. "It tastes like poo!"

All of a sudden, pain erupted from all parts of Sam's body. She screamed loudly as she fell to the ground and squirmed in pain. Freddie stayed close to her the whole time. Soon, the pain was gone.

Sam was covered in sweat as well. She washed up and stood up. Then, she clenched her fist. Then she turned and punched the wall. It left a small crater.

"Holy crap," Freddie said in awe.

Sam took her fist back. She took a deep breath. "I feel...amazing! Powerful!"

"Great," Freddie said, a bit too scared.

"You ready to move on Freddie?" Sam asked.

"Let's do it!" Freddie exclaimed.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for the people who said they were going to spread the word about my story! It really helps! And I am a little behind on chapters. So I need your guys's help! I usually want a five-chapter head start. Now, I am working on chapter 15! If you remember, Sam and Freddie still have some staples. What would you guys, the readers, want to see them do with it? So, this is where you guys can help me. Just visit my page by clicking on my name at the top of the page, then at the top of my page, there is a poll. It will ask the same question I just asked, then there will be ten choices. You may choose two. It'll only take like 15 seconds of your very valuable time, and by doing this poll, it will help me deliver content that the readers actually want to read. I can't move on with your guys's help. Please visit and don't forget to review!**

**Some other news you probably don't care about, but I'll tell you anyway, is that I deleted two of my old and unfinished stories. I felt like those stories were going nowhere, so I had to delete them. It was a very tough decision to make, but it was necessary. I also re-did my profile page so it looks a bit more cleaner. I hope... If you have time, please check it out while voting on the poll!**

**Thank you guys so much for the support! More to come very, very soon. I promise! ;P**


	13. Someday

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 13: Someday**

**

* * *

**

_"You ready to move on Freddie?" Sam asked._

_"Let's do it!" Freddie exclaimed._

_

* * *

_

Carly had been doing a bit better the past few days. Spencer and her have used the tickets Mrs. Benson gave her. Her grades are slowly rising. She's out a bit more. She was slowly getting better.

But she wasn't going to be fully healed until Sam and Freddie come back.

Carly was sitting in a beanbag in the iCarly studio. She had to make another video telling their audience that iCarly is still canceled until Sam and Freddie are back.

Carly was watching reruns of Girly Cow on the monitor. She finally paid attention to the show rather than just look at it and think about Sam and Freddie.

Then, Spencer comes in.

"Hey kiddo," Spencer greeted.

"Sup Spence," Carly said.

"Hey, we got a final set of tickets, wanna go watch that unbelievably cheesy love chick-flick?" Spencer asked.

Carly had other ideas. "Yeah. Let me just go to the store and buy something for school tomorrow."

"You be needing money?" Spencer asked.

"Nah, I got enough."

"Okay."

"I'll as ya in a little while," Carly said as the elevator door closed.

"See ya," Spencer waved.

Once she reached the lobby, she exited Bushwell Plaza, ignoring Lewbert's screaming and yelling. She walked a two blocks to find her destination.

The alley.

Carly stared deep into the alley. This alley was different. It was always dark. In the other alleys, you could see the inside from outside. But this one was very different.

Carly stood in front of the alley, letting a few teardrops fall. Then she fell to her knees. Her head sagged down from her body. Those few teardrops turned into a waterfall of tears. She ignored all the pedestrians walking and staring.

Carly missed them too much.

Almost two weeks have passed. Carly has heard nothing about them yet. She knew that cases like these take less than a week to solve by the FBI. Speaking of the FBI, the two agents, Agent Sturgeon and Agent Ramírez didn't visit since they showed them the footage they got from a surveillance camera. She thought that they gave up.

Carly was hopeless.

She cried harder, her vision blurring because of the tears. She saw them drop to the sidewalk. Carly thought she could forget about Sam and Freddie by keeping herself busy. And it works! But in the end, at night when she's lying down on her bed, she cries herself to sleep. It's the saddest way to get to sleep.

Carly can never forget Sam and Freddie. They've been friends too long. She remembered all the good times she had with them. She teared up even more.

Carly looked up at the alley. A sudden rage took control of her. She stood up and stalked into the alley.

Right before she entered the darkness, something stopped her. She looked to her left shoulder and saw a hand. She turned around.

It was Spencer.

Carly just let the tears flow as she hugged her big brother. She felt so sad all the time. She hated it. And when she's not doing anything, she felt empty. It was the worst feeling in the world.

"Come on, let's go home," Spencer said. Carly nodded in agreement.

They climbed aboard Spencer's motorcycle. Spencer drove off. As Carly zipped past the pedestrians walking, she felt her mind clear of damaging thoughts and fill with happy memories of her, Sam, and Freddie. It didn't make her cry. It made her stop crying. In fact, it made her smile.

Spencer looked at his mirror. He saw Carly with a big grin on her face. He smiled as well. Maybe she just needed a casual ride. Then, an idea popped into Spencer's mind.

He took a detour, going to the park. Carly didn't notice because she was too busy remembering. Spencer smiled as his sister meditated on the things that were happy.

Spencer drove around the park a few more times before finally heading home.

As Spencer opened the front door, Carly stepped inside the apartment. She sat down on the sofa.

"How ya feeling?" Spencer asked.

Carly smiled. "Better."

"That's more like it!" Spencer exclaimed. Carly laughed.

"You have no idea how good your laugh sounded right now," Spencer said. Carly smiled.

"Well, I think I won't be crying for another few days," Carly said.

Spencer smiled. "Good."

"Spencer, do you think that they'll come back?" Carly asked.

Spencer looked for the right answer. Then, he nodded. "Yeah."

Carly nodded. Spencer smiled at himself. He finally answered a question right. He went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Carly turned on the TV, feeling a bit better about herself. She still misses Sam and Freddie, and very badly too. But she knows this, they will come back, someday, and she knows it's soon.

* * *

**A/****N: Okay, personally, I felt that this chapter was pathetic. It is too short and no sense to it. Basically, it's a crappy filler chapter. Sorry to let you down guys!**

**So yesterday, I told you guys about a poll that I put on my profile page. But, when some of you guys tried to participate, it's not there, right? Well, that was my bad. It is now working. I'd like to thank _iSam101 _for telling me this problem. So, please participate on the poll, it will really help me out a lot. The poll will last maybe two days, it depends. Thanks you guys for your support and please review and participate on the poll! It will only take like two minutes of your precious time. Thanks again! :)**


	14. Penultimate Wounds

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 14: Penultimate Wounds**

* * *

_Carly turned on the TV, feeling a bit better about herself. She still misses Sam and Freddie, and very badly too. But she knows this, they will come back, someday, and she knows it's soon._

* * *

Sam and Freddie gathered their things as they got prepared to go on, feeling awesome from the drop of Quick-a-Heal.

Sam doused the fire with water by wringing Freddie's wet shirt over the fire. She wrung the shirt so well that it was practically dry when Freddie put it on. Sam grabbed the flashlight and turned it on. Then Freddie put his pants on over the shorts.

Sam activated the door. The door opened a bit differently this time. Instead of going inward, then sideways, it opened upwards. They stepped inside, Jet leading the way. As always, the door behind them closed.

"Did you take the Quick-a-Heal?" Freddie asked.

"You know it!" Sam exclaimed, throwing him the bottle. Freddie put the bottle inside the plastic bag. Then he grabbed his camera to start recording.

"Oh man," Freddie said as he started recording. "Only ten minutes left of battery!"

"Tough chiz," Sam said.

They walked a bit more until they came across a ledge.

"Whoa!" Sam exclaimed as she almost fell in. She shone her flashlight over the ledge. There was water. They looked closely and saw that it was like a pool. Sam shone the flashlight above the pool. There was a wall there. Dead end.

Then, Jet scurries over to a corner. Sam and Freddie follow. They find three small oxygen tanks, goggles, and three glow sticks.

"Is this a coincidence?" Freddie asked.

"I dunno, but c'mon!" Sam exclaimed. "Let's put these on!"

Freddie took off his shirt and pants, leaving him in the sport shorts. Sam took off her jacket, shirt, and pants, leaving her in a thin, white tank top and boxers.

"Are you wearing boxers?" Freddie asked.

"Stop staring!" Sam exclaimed. Freddie looked away immediately. "And yes, I am," Sam finished.

Freddie chuckled. "How feminine you are."

Sam rolled her eyes. They put on the oxygen tanks. They were pretty weighty. If they didn't drink the Quick-a-Heal, they'd be struggling to carry it, maybe not even carry it. Sam put on the last oxygen tank on Jet. Then she put on his goggles for him.

"Sam, can dogs swim underwater?" Freddie asked.

"Of course!" Sam said. "Don't be doubting Jet!"

"Okay, sorry!" Freddie said, holding up his hands in defense.

Freddie stopped recording. Then, he realized something important.

"Wait, how're we gonna keep the clothes dry while swimming?" Freddie asked.

"Ugh! Freddie!" Sam shouted. "Use you freakin' noodle! We can put the clothes and other things in the plastic bag and then I'll tie it in a knot so it stays dry."

Freddie thought about it. "Okay, that'll work. The plastic bag's big enough."

They put all the excess clothes in the bag and Sam tied it in a tight knot so water wouldn't go in and destroy everything inside the bag.

Since the flashlight was gone, they cracked the glow sticks and shook them. It started to glow a spooky lime green color. Sam gave one to Jet, who held it by his mouth.

"You ready for this?" Sam asked.

"You know it!" Freddie exclaimed. They put on the oxygen tubes in their mouths, put on the goggles, and all three of them jumped in.

First thing they noticed was the water was really cold. It was icy cold. Freddie heard Sam scream a bit.

All three of them dove in. All they knew was it was dark. The glow sticks barely provided enough sufficient light. Jet led the way, all his legs kicking in the water. Sam and Freddie are no Michael Phelps, but they were doing pretty good.

They swam down at first, since it was the only way available. Freddie had a bit of trouble because he was carrying the plastic bag, which was filled with air. It wanted to surface and Freddie tried hard not to let it. Then, they saw a tunnel to their left. They took it. They swam in some more. They were swimming for about fifteen minutes, taking turns, getting lost, finding dead ends, until Sam and Freddie got tired. Then, they took a right turn.

Suddenly, Sam felt something hot on her ring finger. She checked it out. It was the ring. The middle was glowing lightly. Sam was puzzled. Freddie raised an eyebrow.

As they swam deeper in the underwater maze, the hotter and the brighter the ring got. Then, they took a turn. The ring went dimmer and colder. An idea popped into Sam's head.

She motioned for Freddie and Jet to follow her. They obliged. They went back before the turn. Sam took turns throughout the maze, feeling when the ring got hotter and brighter.

The ring was a compass.

They swam in and out of tunnels, tunnels going down, and tunnels that are almost hidden. Freddie raised an eyebrow at Sam.

"I hope you know what your doing," Freddie thought.

They were pretty tired by now. But they all thought they doing some good progress until they heard three ominous beeps go off simultaneously. Sam turned around. Freddie knew exactly what it was.

Freddie did some signals. He tapped his wrist to mention that their time was running out. Then he pointed to Jet's oxygen tank.

It made perfect sense to Sam.

The oxygen tanks made those beeps.

They were running out of air.

Sam gave Freddie a thumbs up. Then she motioned for them to swim faster.

Sam led the way for them because she had the ring. She could feel that they were close. The ring was practically gonna burn Sam's finger off.

Then, the worst happened.

They couldn't breathe anymore.

Freddie quickly took his oxygen tank off and then Jet's. Sam did the same thing. They knew that they could only hold their breath for a few seconds.

It seemed hopeless.

"I don't wanna die like this," Freddie thought. Then he noticed Sam. She was crying. It was hard to tell because they were underwater and she had goggles on.

Then, the ring got too hot to hold. Sam let go of it.

Instead of sinking down, like all normal rings do, it floated up. Sam looked up and saw a tunnel. She grabbed Freddie and Jet.

They all swam as fast as they could upwards in the tunnel. Sam grabbed the ring, too hot to hold, but she gripped it like her life depended on it. And it did.

As she reached the top of the tunnel, Sam's head popped up from the surface of the water. She took deep breaths. She put the ring on the ledge that was in front of her. It immediately cooled down.

A few seconds later, Freddie and Jet surfaced, they, too, out of breath. Jet started barking loud, sending their ears to scream out in pain. Freddie covered his ears as Sam comforted Jet and got his goggles off and got him on land.

Freddie climbed out of the water and onto land. He was lying down first, tired. The ground was hard, yet somewhat smooth.

Freddie notices that Sam is still in the water.

"What are you doing?" Freddie asked. "Get outta there! Water's freezing cold!"

"Hold on!" Sam exclaimed. "I need to pee."

"Sam! That's disgusting!"

"What? It's not a public pool! Plus, I bet you peed while we were swimming too!"

Freddie sighed. "Yeah, you're right."

They both laugh as Sam gets out of the water.

Sam grabs the ring and puts it on. She turns her head and sees the next door ahead of them.

"That was too close," Freddie choked out from the breathing. His head pounded. They took off their goggles and dropped them in a corner with the glow sticks.

"C'mon, let's go," Sam said as she slowly got up.

Freddie stood up after Sam. They find Jet drinking some water from where they swam in.

"Ugh!" Sam and Freddie said unison.

"I hope Sam's pee tasted good," Freddie said sarcastically to Jet. Sam glared at Freddie. Freddie held his hands up in defense.

Sam walks ahead of them, a bit annoyed with Freddie. Then, they hear the sound of glass breaking.

"Sam!" Freddie yelled. Sam looks down at her front foot. She stepped into a tile that went into the ground. Sam only thought of one thing. Booby traps.

The next thing she knows, she feels a sudden burst of pain all throughout her body. Then, she passes out, hearing Freddie scream her name.

* * *

_Sam was surrounded by darkness. She thought her eyes were closed, but they were open already._

_All of a sudden, she saw a thin strip of light ahead of her. She ran towards it. As she got closer to the light, she covered her eyes, as her eyes aren't adjusted yet._

_As her eyes adjusted, she notices that she is in Bushwell Plaza, in the lobby. She sees Lewbert asleep on his desk._

_Sam smiles at the forgotten sight. She thought she'd never see Bushwell Plaza again. It was like a second home to her._

_Sam thinks of Carly and runs up the stairs. She finds Carly's door and goes inside. Nobody was there._

_"Carly!" Sam yells. "Are you home?"_

_No response._

_Sam shrugs and goes to the fridge. To her delight, it was full of ham._

_"Yeah, mama likes," Sam said. She takes one of them hams and bites into it. The taste isn't as she thought it would be. In fact, it tasted horrible. Sam puts the ham back and closes the fridge. She was about to turn around when she feels a sharp pain on her back. She looks down and sees a knife end, covered in blood, sticking out of her chest. She screams out in pain as she falls to the ground. She looks up to see who did it. She gasps as she saw who it was._

_It was Carly._

_Carly is standing over Sam, her face emotionless._

_"How could you do this!" Sam yelled, crying from the pain and that Carly would do this to her._

_Carly said nothing, her face still emotionless. Then the pain grew when Carly stabbed Sam with another knife._

_She screamed louder than she could._

* * *

"Sam!" Sam heard Freddie yell.

Sam opened her eyes with a jolt. She sees Freddie right in front of her.

"You're way too close to me Benson," Sam said, out of breath, blushing.

"Sorry," Freddie said as he backed away.

Sam looks around. She is sitting up, leaning against a wall. She sees three pieces of bacon cooking on the makeshift skillet. Her stomach grumbled.

"What the heck happened?" Sam asked, shaken up from the nightmare she had.

"Oh, you stepped on a booby trap," Freddie said, pointing to the tile she stepped on.

"Yeah, I know Fredweeb, what happened to me?" Sam asked.

"You got cuts on your forehead from the glass that broke from above," Freddie said, pointing up. Sam looks and sees a flat slab of glass. Half of it was gone. "Then, knives just started to come from all sides."

"How many stab wounds?" Sam asked, having trouble breathing.

"Eleven," Freddie said glumly.

Sam gasped. "Oh my god, where?"

"Don't you feel them?" Freddie asked.

Sam groaned at the pain she realized that was there all along. "No, I just feel pain all over."

"Yup, you got a few stabs on your back, one on your arm and one on the legs. There was a crucial hit near your ribs. Think it punctured your diaphragm. Possibly your lung."

Sam's eyes widened. She didn't want to die yet.

"You can give me some of that Quick-a-Heal, right?" Sam asked, trying to find hope.

"Yes...and no," Freddie answered.

"What do you mean?"

"I read the instructions for use. It said use only once a day or the patient may die. We drank a drop only a few hours ago. You gotta wait until tomorrow."

Sam sighed. "I hope I'm still alive by then."

Freddie leaned up and kissed Sam on the forehead. "You will be." Then, he went to go get the bacon.

Sam blushed. She was just surprised at Freddie's confidence. She did not see that one coming.

"Here ya go Puckett," Freddie said, handing her two pieces of bacon. Instead of arguing, like Freddie did, she accepted it and devoured it. Freddie smiled.

Sam looked down to examine her wounds. There were bandages sprawled all over her front, she could feel some on her back, one on the arms and legs. Then, she notices that she's not wearing the tank top and boxers. She was wearing a two piece purple bikini.

"Freddie, what in the heck am I wearing?" Sam asked?

"Uh...a bikini?" Freddie said, washing the skillet.

"How did I get in it?" Sam asked.

"I am trained to hack computers with only a USB cable and a phone," Freddie said. "I think I can get you in a bikini without looking. Not saying that's what I did, but you know..."

"Freddie, come here," Sam said.

Freddie went to her. "What's up?"

"Come closer."

Freddie leaned in closer. They were so close that if they leaned forward just a bit more, they would end up kissing.

Sam caressed Freddie's face. Freddie smiled.

Then, Sam slapped Freddie across the face. Freddie stepped back, holding his face.

"What was that for?" Freddie complained.

"For being such a pervert!" Sam shouted. "God! Now I feel so embarrassed!"

"What are you embarrassed about?" Freddie asked. "You have a great body."

Sam was glaring at Freddie, making him stop talking.

"Okay! Sorry! Gosh!" Freddie whined.

Sam sighed. "Have you ever thought about people we're missing?"

"Of course I have," Freddie said. "I try not to think of them too much. I'll break down if I do."

Sam smiled. "Remember that one time when I got a job to pay off my debt to you guys?"

"Oh yeah!" Freddie exclaimed, remembering. "I remember you arriving from work, then you forcefully kicked me out of Carly's apartment."

"Yeah," Sam smiles, remembering the golden memory. "Do you know why I kicked you out?"

"Now that I think about it, no," Freddie said. "I'm so used to you harassing me that I never thought about it."

"Well, it's because I was about to cry," Sam said.

"Really?" Freddie asked. "You usually don't like crying."

"Yeah, and I did cry. It made me feel like you could beat me up. And that's saying something."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I dunno. You've seen me cry lots of times when I was down here. Just thought I'd let you know."

"Well, if anybody was down here, I'm sure that they will cry."

"True, but you better not tell anybody." Sam glared at Freddie.

"Whatever," Freddie replied, not really scared of Sam.

"Ugh! I hate it when you're not scared of me! It makes me feel like your the one who's stronger."

"Hey! I've grown stronger the past few months!"

"True, but you still can't beat me if we fought."

Freddie suddenly felt confident. Confident like he could win a fight against Sam.

"You know what, when we get outta here, we gonna do a wrestling match. You and me. Loser owes winner fifty bucks."

"One hundred!" Sam exclaimed.

"You're on!"

They shook their hand on it. They were both smiling. They felt good in a long time.

A few hours passed, filled with talking. Freddie and Sam talked about school, iCarly, and the people they were missing.

"Well, I think that we should go on sleeping now!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Wait," Sam said. "Come here Freddie."

"You better not slap me again," Freddie said as he went back to Sam. He sat down next to Sam. "What's up?"

Sam leaned closer to Freddie. Then, she wrapped her arms around Freddie.

Freddie smiled. Once he pulled away, they stared at each other's eyes for a few moments. Then, he felt Sam lean in.

Then, they were kissing.

Sam pulled away after seven seconds. Freddie wanted to say something, but all that came out was a bunch of nonsense.

Sam lightly slapped Freddie on the cheek a few times. "Last kiss until we get outta here Freddifer."

Freddie finally found his tongue. "Wait, what just happened?"

"Freddie, I like you. Gotta kiss you once in a while. And since you like me back, that's great!"

"But I thought dating me looks weird to you?"

"Well, maybe my sight is getting better," Sam said, smiling. "Let's go to sleep."

Sam was snoring in no time. Freddie was still wide awake, feeling the rush from the kiss. In his head, his thoughts were this: "YEEES!"

* * *

**A/N: A pretty long chapter, I would think. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please don't forget to participate on the poll! I would encourage you guys to do it! Please? Hehehe... Thanks for all the reviews and favorited stories and such. I'll try to update tomorrow, but I have to finish the next chapter after I view the results. Thank you guys for reading! :D**


	15. Ripples

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 15: Ripples**

**

* * *

**

_Sam was snoring in no time. Freddie was still wide awake, feeling the rush from the kiss. In his head, his thoughts were this: "YEEES!"_

_

* * *

_

Freddie slowly woke up from his slumber. The fire crackled with intense heat, enough light to light the whole cave and see with ease. He washed his face and mouth from the fountain. He looked for Sam. She was at the edge of the pool of water, sitting down, throwing staples at the water. Freddie walked over.

Freddie took off his pants, leaving him only in his sport shorts. Sam notices him.

"Hey..." Sam greeted.

"What's up?" Freddie asked, sitting down, putting his legs in the water like Sam.

"Nothing much," Sam replied, throwing another chunk of staples in the water.

Freddie notices that Sam is still in her purple bikini, but she's wearing her jacket over it. Her bandages were still on.

"So, why're you throwing staples in the water?" Freddie asked, leaning back on his arms.

"Oh, um, the ripples of the water sort of calm me down and make me feel relaxed," Sam explained.

"Ah," Freddie said. "A side of Sam I usually don't ever see."

Sam looked at Freddie and smiled. "Probably the first and last you'll see this side." She broke of a chunk of staples from a long staple stick.

Freddie grabbed the open box of staples that was next to Sam. Then, he started to throw some in the water as well.

"So, how does this help you relax?" Freddie asked, lazily throwing a chunk in.

"Let's me think," Sam replied.

"Wow! Sam is thinking! That's amazing!" Freddie exclaimed sarcastically.

Sam turned to Freddie. "If I wasn't so relaxed right now, you'd be dead."

"Eh, whatever," Freddie said. "So, why didn't you take some of the Quick-a-Heal?"

"Oh, we've been asleep for only a few hours," Sam said. "I need to wait just an hour or so."

"Wait, how do you know the time so accurately?" Freddie asked.

Sam pulled something out of her jacket pocket and held it up, wiggling it between her thumb and index finger. It was Sam's cellphone.

"You had a cellphone the whole time?" Freddie exclaimed.

"Yeah, don't you have yours?" Sam asked.

"No!"

"No? Why not?"

"Cuz I left it in my room!"

"Well tough chiz."

"Why didn't you tell me you had a phone?" Freddie asked.

"I thought you knew I had my phone!" Sam exclaimed. "Remember I took a picture of the first door we encountered?"

"Oh yeah...but still, we could've used it to call for help!"

"Geez Freddilina, lower your voice, you're giving me a headache," Sam complained as she threw more staples into the water.

"Sorry."

"Okay, there are two problems with the my cellphone. First, there's no reception because we're too deep underground, and second, it died just after I checked the time."

"Oh, I feel stupid then."

"You should."

Freddie laughed. "Well aren't you forceful."

There was a moment of silence between them. Then, Freddie's curiosity broke the silence.

"How did you get here without hurting yourself?" Freddie asked. "I mean, aren't you in pain?"

"Well, I walked here. It was a bit painful, especially around here in my lung and diapraghm area. Other than that, the cuts were pretty manageable. Not saying that I'm fine with these cuts. I mean, really, they hurt like hell..." Sam trailed off.

"Coolio," Freddie responded.

There was another silence that ensued them. Then, Sam stood up. She threw the box of staples to the corner. Then, she took off her jacket.

"What're you doing?" Freddie asked.

"I'm gonna take a bath," Sam said. Then, she jumped in. Once she surfaced, she had a big grin on her face.

"C'mon in!" Sam exclaimed. "The tastes like my pee."

Freddie laughed. "Yeah, I'd rather not take a bath in your urine."

"Oh c'mon! Don't be such a priss! The water's fine!"

"No!"

"Fine, I'll just pull you in!" Sam grabbed Freddie's leg. Freddie knew it was already too late to escape, so he quickly took off his shirt as he inges into the cold water.

Freddie surfaced, breathing for air. Then, Sam started splashing water at Freddie. Freddie tried to block, but the water kept getting in his eyes. Sam was laughing while doing it.

"C'mon Benson! You ain't no weeble wobble!" Sam exclaimed.

Freddie decided to fight back and splashed water all over Sam's face.

"Oh yeah, who's not the weeble wobble now?" Freddie taunted.

They kept going at it, trying to make the other one give up. But since they were both so stubborn, they had a pretty epic water fight for about thirty minutes.

Freddie got close enough to Sam to grab her wrists. He grabbed them and pinned her to the wall.

"Hey!" Sam exclaimed. "No fair! I'm crippled!"

"No excuses Puckett," Freddie said. "Now, tell me, what in the heck is a weeble wobble?"

"I have no idea," Sam replied, giving up on trying to escape. She probably could escape, but with her condition, it's hard to. They both laugh.

Then, they were looking at each other's eyes. They started to grin. Sam swore she saw Freddie's chocolate-brown eyes ripple.

Freddie let go of Sam's wrists. His hands drifted down to her waist. Sam's arms slowly wrapped around Freddie's neck. They leaned in closer, closing their eyes. Then, their lips touched and explosions went off everywhere.

It was a normal kiss at first. Soon, it got...feisty. Freddie was all over Sam. Freddie decided to push his luck and tried to deepen the kiss. Sam let him do it. They were now fiercely kissing with a lot love.

About ten minutes of continuous kissing, Freddie felt his arms drift up Sam's body. It went behind Sam's back and grabbed the lace of the bikini. Then, he was trying to untie it. Freddie tried to stop himself, but the hormones were driving now.

Sam also felt herself lose control. Her arms slowly drifted down to Freddie's sport shorts. She started to pull them down. Freddie is almost done with her bra. Sam is almost done pulling down his shorts. All of a sudden, they got control over their bodies again. They immediately pull away.

"Abstinence!" they yell in unison. They were both out of breath and eyes wide open. Then, they start laughing.

"I'm sorry about that," Freddie said, pulling up his short to his waist.

"It's cool, and sorry about...you know..." Sam said as she fixed the bikini top.

They got out of the water. Freddie carried Sam and walked her to the fire. He set her down and he sat down next to her, fairly close.

"I can't believe that just happened," Sam said. Freddie pulled out the bacon and the skillet.

"Yeah, me too," Freddie said as he mounted the skillet over the fire.

It was silent again. The incident shook them up pretty bad.

They decided to go big on the bacon. They put five slices of bacon on the skillet. Their stomachs grumbled as it cooked.

"So, um, yeah, uhh..." Freddie said, nibbling on his bacon.

"Yeah, right, uhh..." Sam said, lost for words too.

"I'm sorry," they said in unison. "It's okay, you don't have to be." Then, they looked at each other. "Stop doing that! Ugh!"

They finished their bacon. Both of them were shivering from the cold bath they just took.

Sam scooted closer to Freddie and put her head on his shoulder, to get warmer.

"Are you trying to cuddle up?" Freddie asked, smiling.

"Oh, wipe that grin off your face Benson!" Sam said. "Just because we had a make-out fest, doesn't mean I'll start acting all lovey-dovey and that chiz."

"Sure, whatever," Freddie said, lying down, bringing Sam down with him.

"Ow!" Sam exclaimed. "You jerk!" He pinched Freddie on the arm.

"Ow!" Freddie exclaimed. "It wasn't like I did it on purpose or anything."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Wait, did you want me to sleep with you?"

"Eww, gross," Freddie said jokingly.

"Dammit Freddie, I meant like sleep next to you, you pervert!" Sam shouted in his ear.

"Ow!"

"I enjoy hearing you say 'Ow!'" Sam said.

"Well, I wouldn't mind sleeping next to you," Freddie said, trying not to be too forward.

"Okay," Sam replied. "Why don't we go to sleep now then?"

"You're not ready for the Quick-a-Heal?"

Sam thought about it. "You know, kissing you is a lot like taking Quick-a-Heal, except maybe a bit more stronger," Sam said.

"Really? How?" Freddie asked.

"It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, it's so much more painful, but it feels so much better," Sam answered.

Freddie smiled. "Wow, you come up with that one yourself?"

"Haha! Yes! Talk about two birds..."

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment.

"Okay, we should go to sleep now," Sam said.

"Okay," Freddie said.

They ended up sleeping in each other's arms.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for all the people who participated on the poll! I hope you enjoyed! Obviously, you guys know the winner by reading this chapter. This chapter really pushed the K+ rating. Hehehe... you know what I mean... Please review!**


	16. Hope

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 16: Hope**

* * *

_They ended up sleeping in each other's arms._

* * *

Carly is sitting on the sofa, texting other friends from school while watching TV. Then, Spencer jumps out of nowhere and scares Carly.

"Gah!" Spencer yelled.

Carly screamed in a high-pitched voice. Then, she glared at Spencer.

"Spencer!" Carly said, appalled.

"What? Just something to get your blood circulating," Spencer said, walking to the fridge. "You've been sitting on that couch for so long that your heart has practically stopped beating."

"Oh shut up," Carly said. "If that happened, I'd be..." Carly trailed off. She didn't want to say the next word of the sentence. Spencer noticed.

"I'm sorry Carly," Spencer said.

"No, don't apologize, you did nothing wrong," Carly said silently. Spencer walked over to her and sat down next to her.

Carly let a few tears flow out. "Spencer, do you think Sam and Freddie are, you know..."

"Dead?" Spencer asked. Carly nodded. "Carly, I don't know what to say."

"Just say what you think," Carly whispered, tears going into her mouth. She could taste the all too familiar saltiness of tears.

"I..." Spencer looked at Carly. He didn't want to give her false hopes. But at the same time, he wants to say that they're not dead and they're still alive. Spencer went with that.

"Yes, I believe they're still alive," Spencer said, rubbing Carly's back.

"Even though they've been gone for two weeks now?" Carly asked. Spencer's jaw almost dropped. He didn't know they've been missing that long.

Spencer just nodded, staying silent. Then he hugged Carly. Then, the phone rings.

Spencer lets go of Carly and answers the phone.

"Hello?" Spencer said into the phone.

"Hi Spencer," Agent Sturgeon said on the other line. Her voice was sad. It worried Spencer.

"Agent S! What may I do for you?" Spencer asked, trying to be upbeat.

"You could let us in," she replied.

"Okay, go in right up," Spencer said, the sadness of her voice just totally destroying his upbeat-ness.

_Click._

"Was that the agents?" Carly asked, tears still flowing.

"Yup, they wanna talk to us," Spencer said.

"It's been a while since we talked to them..."

"Yeah..."

The elevator door opens to reveal the two agents, Agent Sturgeon and Agent Ramírez. They both look saddened. Their face is down, they walked a bit slow, and it looks like Agent S is about to cry.

"Hi agents," Spencer greeted.

"Carly, Spencer," Agent R greeted back, nodding his head to them.

"Did you find any evidence or more footage of them or something like that?" Carly asked, trying to keep her hope alive.

Agent S and Agent R sat down next to Carly. Carly braced herself for the worst. She knew something was not right. Spencer slowly sat on a stool.

"Unfortunately, we give you bad news," Agent S said. Finally, she let a few tears drop. "Gosh, I'm sorry about crying. I don't usually cry, it makes me feel weak."

Carly smiled slightly as she has heard that line before. Then, as quick as the smile appeared, it disappeared.

"Tell her Darin," Agent S said, unable to cope with her tears.

Agent R sighed. "Our leader thinks we've spent too much time researching and trying to solve this case. We were given twenty-four more hours to do this case. Then, if they are not found by then, the case is closed they will be pronounced..."

"Dead?" Carly whispered. She swore she could've heard her heart crack and feel all of her hope dissipate into nothingness. A fresh wave of tears covered Carly's eyes, then dripped down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry Carly," Agent S said. "We've done the best we can so far. We are going to stay up all night to try and see if they are dead. We will investigate and search the area. We will do anything in our power to try and find your friends."

Carly nodded, tears falling down at a high rate. She thought she had controlled her emotions about this situation. She thought wrong. Now she was back to square one, and, unfortunately, she might stay there...forever...

Spencer, on the other hand was speechless. They couldn't do this. They can't! They're still out there! You can't pronounce them dead! These thoughts swirled around in Spencer's head.

"Why can't you guys just go in the alley?" Carly asked.

"We can't," Agent R said. "We are not allowed to go into a place without confirming it safe, or at least be able to see inside. That alley isn't safe, and for all I know, that alley stays pitch-black all day long!"

"I'm so sorry Carly," Agent S said, her tears stopped flowing. "I've dealt with so much situations like this..."

"And each one as painful as the last," Agent R finished.

Carly's mind went blank. She didn't know what to think. She was clueless. She doesn't know what she's gonna do with her life now. Worst of all, she has to cancel iCarly...

"Well, we must be going now if we want to find them in time," Agent S said.

"Okay," Carly choked out in a whisper.

The agents left abruptly. Carly felt numb throughout her body. Spencer didn't know what to do. So he just sat there. Carly slowly got up and went upstairs to her room. Her vision was blurred by her tears.

Once she got to her room, she locked the door and lied down inside her covers, crying herself to sleep.

(Line here)

Carly woke up, still feeling numb. She got up and didn't bother fixing her bed. She went straight downstairs, looking forward to a day in front of the TV.

Carly sat down on the sofa and turned on the TV. She stayed in place, very still for five hours. Spencer, who woke up at that time, saw Carly, acting up again. But this time, he was afraid she was going to be like that for a long time.

"Carly, are you hungry?" Spencer asked.

Carly shook her head. Spencer sighed.

"Your going to have to eat," Spencer said firmly.

"Okay," Carly replied silently.

Spencer cooked a small breakfast for them. Carly barely ate any of hers.

"Carly, I told you to-"

"I'm not hungry," Carly said, pushing the plate away. Her head was swirling with ideas on what she should do now.

Carly got up and went upstairs, ignoring Spencer's comments. She took off all her clothes and took a bath. A long, hot bath. It made her think clearly now. She knew what she had to do. She quickly dried herself and got dressed.

(Line here)

Spencer sighed as Carly went upstairs. He knew that she was hopeless. Everything was going to change if Sam and Freddie are not found by the end of the day.

Then, there was a knock on the door. Spencer opened the door. It revealed Mrs. Benson.

"Mrs. Benson," Spencer said, gesturing for her to come in.

Mrs. Benson stepped inside and sat down on the couch. "How's Carly doing?" she asked.

"Worse," Spencer answered, sitting on the stool.

"I thought she was all better about this whole thing. Didn't I give you guys tickets?" Mrs. Benson asked.

"Well, she was okay, then the agents from the FBI showed up and told us bad news."

"What kind of bad news?"

"Very bad news."

"Well, yeah, I know Spencer, but what was the news they told you?"

Spencer sighed. "They said that if they're not found by the end of today, the case is closed and they're pronouncing them..." Spencer swallowed. "...dead..."

Mrs. Benson's whole face shifted from a cool, calm, and collected person, to a panicked and worried person.

"Th-they can't do this!" Mrs. Benson shouted, shooting up from her seat. "They're still out there! They're still alive Spencer!"

"Yes, I know that, but I'm not the one who decided on this decision!"

Mrs. Benson fell on the sofa, covering her eyes with tears. Spencer sat down next to, rubbing her back.

"M-my p-poor Freddie isss sstill out there!" Mrs. Benson cried. "I can't lose him! I don't want to lose him!" Then she cried even harder and louder.

Spencer had nothing to say. He was utterly speechless.

"What's Carly doing?" Mrs. Benson asked, trying to disturb herself from the hurtful reality.

"She's upstairs," Spencer said quietly. "C'mon, let's go see her."

Spencer led Mrs. Benson to Carly's room. They opened the door and realized the room was empty. No Carly inside. Mrs. Benson sat down on one of her sofas.

Then, Spencer saw a piece of paper folded on her bed. He grabbed it and opened it. Then, tears flowed down his face.

"Oh my god," Spencer whispered.

Mrs. Benson managed to her his soft whisper. "What is it?"

"We have to go, now!" Spencer yelled through his tears, grabbing Mrs. Benson.

(Line here)

Once Carly got dressed, she pulled out a piece of paper and pen. Then, she wrote on her desk.

To Spencer Shay

Spencer, we've been through a lot since we met Sam and Freddie. All of them had been good times. We were always smiling. We thought to ourselves "Why aren't we a family?" Well, to think about it, we are a big family. We have you, me, Sam, Freddie, Mrs. Benson, Gibby, and many more people. But Sam and Freddie are the people who really stood out in our lives, especially mine. Now that they're gone, I don't have a clue what I'm gonna do with my life anymore. So, I've decided to end my life now. It's been too hard to deal with this pain. And I know you don't like seeing me in pain. It will do us all good. Tell everybody that this is not your fault. You did everything you could. You're the best guardian a person can have. Tell dad and grandad that I love them. Remember to tell them that this is not your fault, okay? Please give my things as a donation to the poor. They will need it more than me, since I should be dead by now. Please take care Spencer. You will achieve great artistic things in your life.

I love you Spencer, so, so much.

Carly Shay

April 21, 2011

Carly found herself crying. But she knew she had to do this.

She put on some lipstick and kissed the bottom right corner of the page, leaving the imprint of her lips. She quickly fixed her bed. Then, she folded it and neatly placed it on her bed.

As Carly headed out the door, she turned around to look at her glamorous room for the final time. It was the best room a girl can have in the world. Sam and Freddie helped build her room. She smiled for probably the last time in her life as she closed her door.

Carly quietly went to the iCarly studio and hurried into the elevator. She pressed the button to go to the place where she almost died a maybe a couple of years ago, where Sam saved her life. Too bad Carly couldn't save Sam's life.

Carly walked down the hallway and found the big window. She opened it and stood on the edge. She felt tears pour out of her eyes. "I must do this," she thought.

Right before she jumped, a familiar voice screamed her name.

"Carly!" Spencer yelled, crying, clutching the piece of paper. Mrs. Benson was with him.

"Carly, you don't have to do this," Spencer tried to say calmly, but ended up crying in the middle of the sentence.

"No Spencer, I have to do this. What else am I supposed to do in life? Huh?" Carly said firmly, the tears falling.

"You could learn to move on and try to cope with it," Mrs. Benson said calmly.

"No Mrs. Benson, I've tried that already," Carly said. "I tried every damn thing to keep myself happy!" Carly yelled. "Now I just can't take the pain any longer. I'm sorry..." She edged closer to her death.

Spencer's eyes widened. "No! Carly, don't..."

Mrs. Benson gasped. "Carly, please..."

Carly's eyes were filled with tears. "Good bye Spencer." Then she jumped off.

"NO!" Spencer yelled as he ran to the window. "No! Carly! No! Jesus Christ! No!" More tears came. Mrs. Benson stood back, crying her eyes out as well.

They both ran down to the place where Carly should've landed.

Spencer spotted Carly on the ground, face down. "Carly!"

They rushed over to her. Spencer put Carly on his lap. Her eyes were closed. Blood was dripping from the top of her head. Mrs. Benson called 911.

"Carly!" Spencer shouted, his tears falling on Carly's face. Soon, police and an ambulance came. Agent S and Agent R were amongst the police. The agents saw Carly's body. Agent S covered her eyes as tears welled up. Agent R put an arm around Agent S. They had failed miserably.

Everything for Spencer went slow motion. Nurses were trying to pry Spencer off of Carly. Spencer fought them, saying that this was his sister. Nurses fought back, saying they need to take her to the hospital. Spencer was yelling the whole time. The police took Mrs. Benson and Spencer, since there was no more space in the ambulance. Spencer was crying, saddened at his sister's death. All hope was lost for Spencer. Life was lost, death had won.

Carly Shay died at the age of seventeen, on April 21, 2011. She died during a successful suicide attempt.

* * *

**A/N: Probably one of the best chapters I made! I hope you guys agree! Please review! The next chapter is pretty exciting too! The chapter is called "Hope." Who thought this was gonna be a happy chapter? Well, it was a very sad chapter. It is referring to the hope that Carly has lost, if you don't know what it means. Please review and I'll try to update tomorrow!**


	17. Urban Legend

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 17: Urban Legend**

* * *

_Carly Shay died at the age of seventeen, on April 21, 2011. She died during a successful suicide attempt._

* * *

Freddie woke up, alone. He searched for Sam, which he found in the corner taking the wet bandages off of her.

"Did you take the Quick-a-Heal?" Freddie asked.

"Yup! And I feel great!" Sam exclaimed.

Their clothes had already dried from their little swim they had before they went to sleep.

Sam and Freddie got everything ready for the next set of challenges to face.

"Hey dork, read the door," Sam said, seeing if Jet was okay. She handed Freddie the flashlight.

"Okay," Freddie said. "It says:

_"You're are almost done_  
_But be prepared_  
_Don't have too much fun_  
_You will get scared_  
_Because the legend will come true_  
_You're training will make you through,"_ Freddie read.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What the heck does that mean?"

I dunno, but it says we're almost done," Freddie said excitedly. "We have to do this. We're almost there!"

Sam didn't show the same amount of enthusiasm. "I'll start celebrating once we actually get out of here." She pushed Freddie aside as she put her hand on the hand imprint on the door.

The door slid down into the ground. They stepped in as Freddie handed Sam the flashlight. After taking two steps, there was already a wall, made out of metal. The door closed behind them.

"Hey, look up there!" Sam exclaimed. They both looked up. The wall ended about fifteen feet in the air. There was a ledge up there. A dim light was shining from the ledge.

"Light?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah! Maybe we're getting close to the surface!" Sam exclaimed.

"But how are we going to get up there?" Freddie asked.

Jet barked from where he was standing. Sam pointed the flashlight at him. He was at the corner, standing next to an extendable ladder.

"We'll get up by that!" Sam exclaimed. She grabbed the ladder. She put it against the wall. It barely reached the top.

"What a ladder!" Freddie exclaimed.

Sam grabbed Jet and put him under one of her arms. Then, she climbed up. Freddie followed.

Once they got to the top, a fence metal fence was in front of them. On the fence was a door, which was wrapped with chains and padlocked.

"Great, how're we going through?" Sam said.

Freddie examined the padlocks. There were no keyholes, just a small hole. The same hole that was on the small metal door that had the Quick-a-Heal.

"Sam! The ring!" Freddie exclaimed.

Sam looked at the padlock and knew what she had to do. She put the ring in and twisted it. The padlock opened, releasing the chains and opening the door.

"Yes!" Freddie exclaimed.

They walked through the door. Immediately, a very foul smell entered their noses. They covered their noses as their eyes watered.

"Phew! Sam!" Freddie whined.

"Dude, I didn't fart!" Sam exclaimed.

They walked in even more, trying to not throw up from the horrendous smell. They took a right turn and came across another door. It was a thick titanium door with a small glass window. On the knob, there was the hole again for the ring.

Sam went and opened the door. As soon as she opened the door, they both knew where they were.

They stepped in. The door closed behind them as Jet followed them. On the front side of the door, there was no knob. They looked around. There was two sidewalks on the edges of the long tunnels. They were pretty small compared to the tunnels they encountered. On the middle, a river of smelly, stinky, cruddy water flowed.

They were in the sewers.

"The sewers!" Freddie exclaimed.

"We're gonna make it out!" Sam exclaimed. They hugged each other.

Tears welled up in their eyes. They knew they were going to make it. They were alive and that's the best thing they could've ever wanted right now.

They found the source of the light. Across from them, on the other sidewalk, there was bars protruding from the wall, creating a ladder. Above the ladder was a manhole. Light shone through the small hole of the manhole lid.

They jumped to the other side of the mucky river with medium effort. Even Jet jumped the gap by himself and made it look easy.

"We're gonna get out! Oh yeah!" Sam exclaimed, doing a little victory dance.

"Calm down Sam, we don't want to have too much..." Freddie's eyes widened in realization. He gulped. "...fun."

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, noticing his face turned pale.

Freddie started panicking. "Oh no! This all makes sense now!"

"What makes sense?" Sam asked, utterly confused.

"Remember the door, it said don't have too much fun, you will be scared. Now I'm way past scared."

"Why!" Sam asked, very irritated.

"A legend will come true," Freddie said, speaking a bit too fast. "It's talking about urban legends..."

Sam's eyes widened. "Oh my god..."

Jet started barking as loud as he could. Sam and Freddie turn around.

A gigantic alligator starts charging at them. It had way more teeth than an average alligator had, it was so big that it barely fit in the tunnels, and it's eyes shone with the multicolored light. As it ran, it was splashing cruddy water everywhere.

Jet was the first to act up. He started running the other way, barking like a maniac dog. Sam and Freddie scream and start running the other way.

"Oh my god, alligators living in the sewers?" Sam exclaimed.

"I didn't know they were that big!" Freddie yelled.

"I didn't know they lived in Seattle too!" Sam shouted.

"What are you talking about?" Freddie asked as they jumped a gap.

"I thought that urban legend was only for New York!" Sam shouted.

"Well, you stand corrected!" Freddie shouted.

They were running as fast as they can. But the alligator was getting closer. Sam slipped a bit and she almost dropped the plastic bag.

"Sam, careful!" Freddie shouted.

"Don't tell me what to do Benson!" Sam yelled back.

The alligator was now dangerously close. They had to do something to kill it, or at least knock it out.

"Oh my god!" Sam panicked. "It's right freakin' behind us!"

"Just keep going!" Freddie shouted. Then, the alligator roared.

"Oh yes! Alligators can roar!" Sam exclaimed sarcastically.

They were about to turn a corner when Jet, who was running in front of Sam and Freddie, suddenly stopped. Then, he turned around. He looked at the alligator and growled. Sam got a bit scared too.

Jet leaped up and pounced on the alligator's head, biting bits of flesh off. Sam and Freddie turn around and observe Jet's bravery. The alligator couldn't lift it's legs up because of the tight fit of the tunnels, so the alligator backed up a bit. Then, when it got some space, it knocked Jet off of its head like it was a small piece of paper.

"JET!" Sam yelled.

Freddie grabbed Sam's wrist and pulled her to hide behind the corner.

"Oh my god! I hope Jet's okay!" Sam said.

"He'll be fine, he's a strong dog," Freddie said. "We'll find him later. Right now we need to get away from that thing and find a way to kill it."

They ran farther away from the alligator. Once they thought they were far enough, they hid behind a corner and sat down to catch their breath.

"Okay, what the heck are we gonna do?" Sam asked.

"I dunno," Freddie replied. "Any ideas?"

"Um, no."

"That's nice."

They sat there thinking. Then, Freddie's eyes widened as he remembered the last sentence of the riddle.

"You're training will make you through!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Huh?" Sam asked.

"The past riddles was like training!" Freddie exclaimed. "Training for this final one!"

"So, is this like a game or something?" Sam asked.

Freddie looked at Sam. "I sure as hell don't know. But what I do know is that we're gonna get outta here."

Sam smiled. "That's what I like to hear. Now what are we supposed to do?"

Freddie looks behind Sam. The alligator was there in the distance. Freddie told Sam. Sam turns around immediately.

"Okay, remember, the riddle on the doors," Freddie said. "No, remember the answers. Remember, we got to work together and remember who we love and do this for them." Freddie smiled and grabbed Sam's hand. Sam looked and she faintly smiled. "We have to do this together."

The alligator growled and started to charge at Sam and Freddie.

Suddenly, the ring on Sam's finger started to glow. Then she looked at Freddie. He gave her a nod.

As the alligator got closer, their heartbeat and breathing increased.

"Ready Sam?"

"Ready Freddie?"

They both nodded at each other. As the alligator lunged at them, they both threw out fists.

"Don't be afraid. Fear corrupts. Things aren't what they really are."

Their fists sent the alligator back a few inches. Freddie saw a small crack on its nose.

"Keep going!" Freddie exclaimed, punching the alligator more. "Brute strength can only create a small hole!"

They kept punching the alligator, unable to counter attack. With one final punch, both Sam and Freddie sent the alligator flying away. As it flew away, it started shrinking. They noticed it was just a rat.

Sam and Freddie hugged each other, in complete awe that they were able to do that. All of a sudden, they felt weak. They dropped to the ground and fainted.

* * *

Freddie opened his eyes, receiving no light. He turned the flashlight on and saw that they were still in the sewers. Sam, who also just woke up, stood up.

"Oh my god," Sam said. "My head!" It felt like someone hammering it.

"Yeah, I agree," Freddie said, grimacing the pain.

"Where in the sewers are we?" Sam asked. Freddie shone the light across from them, to the other side of the mucky river. There was the door with no knob.

Freddie gasped. He looked behind them. The ladder was there with the manhole right above them. There wasn't any light coming from the small hole anymore. Freddie assumed it was nigttime at Seattle.

Sam gasped as she realized where they were. "But how did we...?"

All of a sudden, they hear a soft bark. Freddie shines the light next to Sam to find Jet.

"Jet!" Sam exclaimed, hugging him. "You're okay!"

"So Sam," Freddie said. "You ready to go home?"

Sam stood up and let a few tears shed. "Before we go, I just wanted to say that this was the adventure of my life," Sam said, holding Freddie's hand. "I'll never forget these few weeks with you."

Freddie smiled. "Me neither."

They leaned and kissed. Sam pulled away first.

"Okay, let's get crackin' before another alligator shows up," Sam said. Freddie laughed.

Sam grabbed the plastic bag and Jet. Freddie climbed up first. He slowly lifted up the manhole and slid it sideways. He climbed up and immediately helped Sam up when he got to the top. Once they were all up, Freddie slid the manhole to its place to close the hole.

Tears blurred their vision as they saw their hometown of Seattle, a sight they thought they'd never see again. They hugged each other one more time, crying crazily.

"We made it!" Freddie exclaimed, completely breaking down.

"Yeah!" Sam exclaimed too, shedding tears. The few people that were walking on the streets looked. Then, they just ignored them and went on their way.

"Look, Groovy Smoothies!" Sam exclaimed, pointing to it across the road. They ran across the street to go inside.

More tears came and dripped down their faces. It was the best day of their teenage lives. They had survived imminent death.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, since the last chapter was sad, this one had to be happy. This will be the final chapter FOR A WHILE! I have school tomorrow, so I will not be able to upload tomorrow. I'll try as soon as can. And this will help me finish the other chapters. I hope you enjoyed! Please review and spread the word! :D**


	18. Potato Chips

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 18: Potato Chips**

**

* * *

**

_More tears came and dripped down their faces. It was the best day of their teenage lives. They had survived imminent death.

* * *

_

Spencer and Mrs. Benson were sitting next to each other in the waiting room. Spencer is covering his face with his hands, covering his face. They looked at the clock. It was already five in the morning. Carly checked in at around ten o'clock the night before. Mrs. Benson was asleep. Spencer was wide awake crying his eyes out, waiting for a nurse, doctor, somebody, who can tell him what's going to happen with Carly.

Soon, a doctor came out. "Spencer Shay?"

Spencer immediately woke up Mrs. Benson and rushed to the doctor. Mrs. Benson followed.

"What's gonna happen to her?" Spencer asked. His whole face was red the crying.

"She was dead, but we were able to bring her back," said the doctor. He had a thick Italian accent. "But barely. She broke both legs and an arm, sprained the other wrist, lots of internal bleeding around the head, and cuts and bruises all around her body. She is suffering a strong concussion right now."

"But she will be alright, right?" Spencer asked, trying to squeeze every bit of hope the doctor could give.

"We don't know," the doctor replied. "She's very unstable. She's now on life support. We can only give her a day to get at least a bit better. If she doesn't get better, or worse, her health worsens, we will have to take her off life support."

"What?" Spencer yelled. "You have to let her heal with life support! Why can't you give us a week or something?"

"Her physical state is getting worse by the second Mr. Shay," the doctor explained. "We are doing all we can to try and get at least a small positive response from her body, like blood clots. But the body is declining it and is shutting down. She's dying."

"I don't understand why we can't keep her alive with life support!" Spencer shouted. Mrs. Benson was tearing up.

"That is what I am trying to say!" the doctor said firmly. "She will not heal within life support! She has until tomorrow at five in the morning to get at least a bit better. Otherwise, she has to go. I'm very sorry. You may visit her. She's down the hall." The doctor left abruptly.

Spencer cried hard as he walked into Carly's room. Mrs. Benson followed. When they entered the room, it was the worst sight they have ever seen.

Carly was lying down on the bed, unconscious. Her face was as pale as chalk, she had bandages covering her arm and some on her face. Both legs and her left arm are covered in casts. Her right arm is being suspended by a string attached to the ceiling. Spencer sat down at the chair nearest to Carly and grabbed her hand. He sobbed.

Mrs. Benson gasped when she saw Carly. At first, she was scared. She never saw anybody like that, on the verge of death.

Spencer cried the hardest he had ever had in his life. "This is all my fault."

"No it's not," Mrs. Benson said, sitting down next to Spencer, rubbing his back. "You did your best."

"No I didn't!" Spencer shouted. Mrs. Benson instinctively withdrew a hand. "I didn't do my best! I gave up on her. I should've done more things with her to numb the pain out. I gave up on her when she needed me the most. I will never live this down."

Mrs. Benson was speechless. She looked at the almost dead Carly. She was unconscious. The monitors were beeping with her heart rate. A healthy sixty-two beats per minute. But she didn't seem healthy. In fact, she was far from healthy. She was dead! It would've been bad news if she didn't get to the doctors in time.

Mrs. Benson started thinking about Freddie. She started crying. She hoped that he was okay. She swore to herself that if he comes back, she will set stricter rules and be more attentive.

"Yeah, that'll work," Mrs. Benson thought wiping her tears away.

Mrs. Benson looked at Spencer. He fell asleep on Carly's hand. She didn't think that was bad idea, to get some sleep. She got herself in a comfortable position and let her heavy eyelids drop down and sleep engulf her.

* * *

Mrs. Benson opened her eyes, waking up. Sunlight streamed from the windows. She covered her eyes to adjust to the light. Once she adjusted, she looked out the window. Blue skies, sunny and warm, it's a happy day. She smiled. Then, she looked at Carly. Her smile disappeared.

Spencer was also awake. He was still holding Carly's hand. He had his head down and looked like he was in deep thought.

"Spencer, are you okay?" Mrs. Benson asked.

Spencer turned his head slowly toward Mrs. Benson. His eyes were red from crying. His face showed no emotion. It kinda freaked Mrs. Benson out a bit. To answer Mrs. Benson's question, he simply shook his head. Then he faced the ground again, looking like he was in deep thought.

Mrs. Benson sighed. She wanted to go home. But she couldn't just leave Spencer here alone with his almost dead sister. You don't do that to people! It's wrong!

Mrs. Benson looked at the clock on the wall. It was 1:35 PM.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door as it opened. Spencer and Mrs. Benson looked.

It was a nurse. She had long, curly blonde hair, wearing pink scrubs. She was like the spitting image of Sam! She was carrying a small plastic bag. Inside were unknown items to Spencer and Mrs. Benson.

"Hi," the nurse said. "May I come in?"

Spencer nodded. The nurse came in, sitting down on the chair that was also next to Carly's bed, but on the other side, away from Spencer and Mrs. Benson.

She checked if everything was alright with Carly, then introduced herself.

"Hi, my name is Sam."

"Of course it is," Mrs. Benson thought sarcastically, sighing.

"I am the one who was able to get Carly back alive," she said.

Spencer's head shot straight up, looking at Nurse Sam. Then, he stood up and walked over to her. He hugged her as tight as possible and planted a kiss on her cheek. Spencer let out a few tears. "Thank you so much!" he sobbed.

Nurse Sam rubbed Spencer's back, smiling slightly. "It's okay, I know this is hard."

Spencer took a chair and set it next to Nurse Sam before sitting down on it.

"So, are you her brother?" Nurse Sam asked Spencer.

"Yes," Spencer answered.

"Yeah, and you must be?" Sam said, pointing to Mrs. Benson.

"Marissa," Mrs. Benson answered. "The mother of one of Carly's friends."

"Okay, cool, cool," Nurse Sam replied. "Has Carly shown any signs of movement or anything like that?"

"Not that I know of, no," Mrs. Benson answered.

"What's in the bag?" Spencer asked, pointing to the small plastic bag.

"Oh, these are some potato chips," Sam answered, pulling two small packs out. She handed one to Spencer and one to Mrs. Benson. "I was gonna get you guys a real meal, but they ran out of food! Can you believe it?"

"Well, thank you for your kindness," Mrs. Benson said.

"Well, you're very much welcome!"

Spencer opened his and devoured it, obviously hungry. Mrs. Benson looked at the brand she had. It was Freddie's favorite brand of potato chips. Mrs. Benson remembers telling Freddie not to eat those potato chips because they're unhealthy. But he ate them anyway.

"He just can't get it in his head!" Mrs. Benson thought. Then, her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, that's it!" she exclaimed out loud.

"What's it?" Nurse Sam asked.

"Spencer! The chip in Freddie's head!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed.

Spencer went alert all of a sudden. "We can find Sam and Freddie!"

Mrs. Benson quickly rummaged through her bag, trying to find the control. She found it, at the very bottom of the bag.

"I got it!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed, turning it on. "I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner!"

The screen on the controller said that it was trying to find a signal. Mrs. Benson prayed that he would somewhere close.

'Nowhere to be found,' it said on red letters.

Mrs. Benson gasped. She started crying, covering her eyes.

"What happened?" Spencer asked.

"Nowhere to be found," Mrs. Benson cried. "Freddie's..."

"I'm so sorry guys," Nurse Sam said, showing empathy to them. "This must be a really hard time for you guys."

"Yeah, it is," Spencer said.

"Well, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news," Nurse Sam said, standing up, looking through Carly's monitor. "But Carly hasn't gotten any better since last night."

Spencer started to break down too. Nurse Sam sighed, as she could do nothing about this predicament.

"I'm so sorry you guys," Nurse Sam said. "I can't seem to do anything that can help you guys." She went to leave. But right before she left, Spencer grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait," Spencer said, getting a hold of himself.

"What is it?" Nurse Sam asked.

"I gotta speak to Carly," Spencer said. "Is there any possible way to get her conscious?"

"Well, her concussion is slowly disappearing," Nurse Sam said. "We just need to wait until the concussion is gone."

"What is the likelihood of that happening?"

Nurse Sam smiled. "Very high."

"But you said that she wasn't getting any better."

"Yes, but that is for the other injuries Carly has suffered. But if she does wake up, we will keep her on life support and you won't have to let her go. And plus, I gave her a dose of some medicine to help."

"Thanks so much," Spencer said. Nurse Sam left and Spencer went back to Carly's side. Mrs. Benson was still crying about Freddie. She had put the little controller thing on the bedside table, unable to accept the horrible reality.

Soon, Mrs. Benson and Spencer fell asleep. Both had lost hope.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm gonna upload another chapter after this! Please review and remember to spread the word! Thanks guys!**


	19. Strawberry Splat

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 19: Strawberry Splat

* * *

**

_Soon, Mrs. Benson and Spencer fell asleep. Both had lost hope.

* * *

_

Sam and Freddie quickly entered Groovy Smoothies. Sam almost cried at the sight and smell. They breathed in the smell of fruits, fries, and burgers.

"Sam, is that your mom?" Freddie said, pointing to lady who was sitting down in a table with smoothie, her hands covering her face.

"Yeah..." Sam said. The jogged over to her. Sam took a deep breath and tapped the lady's shoulder.

Sure enough, it was Pam Puckett, her eyes red with tears.

"Mom?" Sam exclaimed, surprised that she had been crying.

"Sam?" Pam said. "Sam!" She stood up immediately and hugged her daughter. "Oh my god Sam! I missed you so much!"

"Really?" Sam asked.

"Yes! I thought you were dead!" Pam cried. "Do you know how many therapy sessions I went to alone?" Sam laughed. Pam pulled away from the hug. "I know I said Pucketts don't cry. But maybe this is an exception."

Sam started crying as well. "I missed you too, Mom!" Then Sam hugged her mom harder. Freddie watched, smiling, happy with the family reunion.

Pam sniffed. "Why do you smell like poo?" she asked Sam.

Sam smiled. "Long story, I'll tell you later."

Pam smiled. "Let's go get you something to eat."

"Yess!" Sam exclaimed as they walked to the cashier. Freddie followed. "Wait, where'd you get the money?"

"I have a job!" Pam said. "Duh!"

"Really? What is it?"

"It's an office job. Pays good mulah!"

"Nice! Better than that janitor job that you had at that stinkin' Mexican restaurant."

"Yeah, not a good idea to clean toilets at a place where people eat beans."

T-Bo turned around when Pam called him.

"Yes m'am?" T-Bo said. "What can I get for you?"

"An extra-large Strawberry Splat, double bacon cheese burger and make sure there's double patties and double bacon, and a large order of fries," Pam said.

"Alright, that will be $15.78," T-Bo said.

"Wait," Sam said, grabbing her mom's arm. "What about Freddie?"

Pam looked at Freddie, who looked as hungry as Sam.

"Freddie, what would you like?" Pam asked.

"I'll just have a Blueberry Blast," Freddie said, smiling.

Pam smiled. "Mhm. You're humble. I like it."

Pam turned around to T-Bo. "Can you double that order? Except make the smoothie a Blueberry Blast."

Freddie was surprised. "Wait, there's really no need to..."

"Relax kid," Pam said. "It's free food. Enjoy it."

Freddie smiled. "Thank you very much."

Pam just waved him off. Sam laughed.

"Okay, so two extra-large smoothies, a Strawberry Splat and Blueberry Blast, two double bacon cheeseburgers with extra bacon, and two orders of large fries?" T-Bo read the order.

"Yup," Pam said.

"That'll be $31.56," T-Bo said. T-Bo got a glimpse of Sam. "Hey Sam."

"T-Bo!" Sam greeted.

Then, it sunk in with T-Bo. "Oh my goodness, Sam! And Freddie!"

"That'd be us!" Freddie said.

"I thought you guys were dead when Carly said that you guys were lost!" T-Bo said. "No more canceling iCarly!"

"What are talking about?" Sam asked.

"Can we please just get our order?" Pam asked.

T-Bo ran out to a table and stood on it. "Hey guys!" Everybody turned to him and quieted down. "Look, Sam and Freddie are back!"

Everybody looked at Sam and Freddie. Then, they all ran towards them. Pam, Sam, and Freddie were stuck in a mob of people, asking them questions like, "Where were you guys?" and "Is iCarly still canceled?" and "Why do you guys smell like poo?"

Sam climbed up on the counter. "HEEEEY!" she yelled. Everyone turned silent and looked at her. "We will tell you what happened to us during the next iCarly! For now, no questions, no people going to us. Freddie and I just want to eat our food in peace!" Sam jumped off the counter. Every kid slowly went back to their seats, keeping their eyes on Sam and Freddie.

"That's my girl," Pam said, pounding fists.

"Well, Momma's gotta do what Momma's gotta do," Sam said.

They sat down on their seats. "So Sam, tell me what happened to you guys," Pam said. Pam sat across from Sam and Freddie, who sat next to each other.

"Okay, first of all, I saw a multicolored light..." Sam went on to explain the whole story to her mom. Pam listened the whole entire time. Freddie added more to the story by correcting or reminding Sam about something she had missed. Sam and Freddie both decided to keep all the hot, feisty, super-confidential stuff out of it.

"Wow," Pam said.

"That's all you can say?" Sam said.

"What else am I supposed to say?" Pam asked.

"I dunno," Sam said. Freddie laughed. Sam glared at him. He stopped immediately.

"Order up," T-Bo said, putting down two trays filled with food. Sam and Freddie had no trouble digging in.

"So where's this dog you had?" Pam asked.

"Oh, he's right..." Sam looked around. He was no where to be found. "Freddie, where's Jet?"

Freddie looked around. He saw Jet outside the door through the glass.

"Over there," Freddie said, pointing to the door. Freddie got up and let him in.

"Hi Jet!" Sam exclaimed. "How're doing?" Sam gave him some fries. Jet devoured them.

"What a dog!" Pam exclaimed.

"That's why I'm keeping him!" Sam exclaimed.

Pam widened her eyes. "Nuhuh! No you don't! I can barely take care of us with the job I have right now!"

"Relax!" Sam said. "Jet's a strong dog. He can eat our leftovers from each meal."

"What leftovers?" Pam asked. "You always eat all of the food!"

"Fine, I'll give a part of my meal to Jet!" Sam exclaimed.

"Fine, but you have to take care of him!" Pam said.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Sam said, taking a bite out of her burger. Freddie sat there awfully silent.

"C'mon Benson!" Sam exclaimed. "Say something! We just survived a place God-forsaken place that was trying to kill us!"

Freddie just nodded. "Sam, I'm hungry. I don't talk when I'm hungry.

Sam raised an eyebrow. That was just like her. She took her smoothie and took a sip. The taste of the Strawberry Splat almost brought tears to her eyes. A taste she thought she'd never taste again.

Once they finished their food, they got up to leave. Sam had to do something before they left. Once they got outside the restaurant, she told Pam she was going to do something. Then, she pulled Freddie into a corner. They were outside, at an entrance of an alley. It was very cold out.

"I just wanted to say that I can't believe we made it out of that hellhole," Sam said.

"Yeah, me neither!" Freddie said.

"But we formed sort of a...uhhh...a relationship while we were in there, you can say," Sam said.

"Yeah," Freddie said. "What's you're point?"

"Well," Sam cleared her throat. "Do you wanna...uhh...go out w-with me?" She put a retarded smile on. She couldn't believe she stuttered.

Freddie's face turned grim. "Since we got out of there, I think my feelings for have...you know...uhh...disappeared, and my feelings...um, let's see, how should I put this, uhh...transferred, I guess you can say to, umm...Carly."

Sam's heart dropped into her stomach. "What?" Sam exclaimed, outraged.

Freddie laughed. "Haha! I'm just kidding. Gotcha there!"

Sam sighed. "I hate you so bad!"

"What are you gonna do about it?" Freddie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think I just might know," Sam said smiling.

They leaned in and kissed each other. Fireworks and the taste of Strawberry Splat erupted in Sam head.

"I can't wait to see Carly again," Sam said to Freddie.

"Me too." They walked back to Pam, enjoying the small period of time they have of happiness, not knowing they were about to ride an emotional roller coaster.

* * *

**A/N: Here's the other chapter! I'll try to update tomorrow, but I don't know if that's gonna happen. So, please review and spread the word! Thanks you guys for your support!**


	20. Beeping

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 20: Beeping

* * *

**

_They leaned in and kissed each other. Fireworks and the taste of Strawberry Splat erupted in Sam head._

_"I can't wait to see Carly again," Sam said to Freddie._

_"Me too." They walked back to Pam, enjoying the small period of time they have of happiness, not knowing they were about to ride an emotional roller coaster.

* * *

_

Spencer awoke from his slumber. He noticed that he was still holding Carly's hand. He firmly held it and stared at Carly's super-pale face. She was breathing. There was something wrong. Spencer sensed it. Then, he realized her eyes were moving rapidly around inside her eyelids. Spencer thought she was having a nightmare.

Spencer decided to turn on the TV. The news was on. The black haired Asian was the anchor.

"Breaking news!" she exclaimed. "The world-wide popular webshow for teens, iCarly, has currently stopped. Reporter Courtney Hagerty has the story for us."

It then showed a blonde woman, standing in front of what seems to be Groovy Smoothies. She had a black puffy jacket on and was holding a microphone.

"About two weeks ago, iCarly stars Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson had been reported missing," the woman said. Spencer sighed. "I am here with Agents Kaitlin Sturgeon and Darin Ramírez." Spencer's ear stood up when he heard the names. The camera widened out to show the agents. "So, Agent Sturgeon, do you think you know what has happened to the iCarly kids?"

"Well, we haven't found them yet, but we're trying our best," she replied.

"We have a few leads, but unfortunately, we can't go on any further because there are some issues regarding rules that we have to follow," Agent Ramírez said.

"So you're saying that you're done with this case?" Courtney asked.

"We were," Agent Sturgeon answered. "But our boss gave us another chance when Carly Shay herself committed suicide."

Spencer just felt the whole world gasp. But he thought that no teenager would watch the news.

"So Carly is dead?" Courtney asked.

"No, she's still alive in the hospital," Agent Ramírez said. "They were able to bring her back."

"Well, there you go folks," Courtney said. "The iCarly gang seems to have some issues right now. Two lost, one on the brink of death. We wish you agents good luck."

"Thank you," Agent Ramírez said.

Spencer quickly turned off the TV, not wanting to listen to anymore depressing news. He sighed. He held up Carly's hand and rested his head on it, closing his eyes.

* * *

"Goodbye Spencer," I said. I jumped off the ledge.

"NO! No! Carly! No! Jesu..." Spencer's voice faded away in the distance.

I spread out my limbs, feeling the wind on my face. As I approached the ground, I could only think of one thing.

"I'll miss you guys."

I hit the ground with a loud crack. Pain erupted from all parts of my body. I felt blood drip down my face. I felt the sudden urge to scream in pain, but my body didn't allow it. I don't get it. Why am I still alive when I clearly jumped off ten stories? Then, my body took control of me all of a sudden. My arm reached out in front of me. I felt something. I looked at my hand. There was a packet of blue gel pills. I knew what it was. I've seen it before.

Cyanide.

Feeling my body quickly shutting down, as fast as I can, which was very slow, I took a capsule and put it in the back of my mouth. It stuck on my molar.

You probably might be thinking, "Why on earth are you doing that?" Well, it's because I know I will be revived. So, when I get revived, I will use this cyanide pill to kill me instantly.

My eyelids became heavy, my body was throbbing in more pain than you have ever experienced in a single life, and my vision was getting blurry. This is it. The sweet escape of death.

* * *

I opened my eyes. It was so bright. Once my eyes adjusted, I realized I was in a white room. I looked down and saw that I was wearing a white sweater with white sweats and white shoes. I look forward to see a person playing the piano. The piano was a big grand piano, but it was white. I walk towards him and see that it was an old man. He was playing Für Elise by Beethoven. I walk around the piano and look at his face. His skin black, but his hair and the small amount of facial hair he had was brilliant white. I admire the song he's playing. It gave a very bitter-sweet feeling.

The man still didn't pay attention me. So I just decided to walk around the piano a bit more, listening to the song he was playing. Once he was done, he lifted his head up and stared right at me. I stopped walking. He had deep, dark, peaceful eyes.

"Hello," I greeted.

"Carly," he replied. "How are you?" His voice was very deep, crisp. Very melodic. It was the kind of voice that makes soothes your sense and calms your mind, yet alerts you. It was very nice.

"I'm fine, thanks," I said.

"That's good," he said, standing up from the white chair he was sitting on.

"Who are you?" I asked. "I have never seen you before.

"I am your conscience," he said.

"What?" I said, outraged. "Really? You're that little voice in my head that tells me what I'm doing is either wrong or right?"

"That would be me."

"Really? I would think my conscience would look like-"

"You?" he finished for me. I nodded on reply. He laughed. "Well, that's how people view it nowadays. But a person's conscience can be a male, female. Young, old. Fat, skinny, whatever."

"Wow, I never knew that," I said.

"Well, since you are dead, why don't we look at some good times from the past?" the old man said.

"Wait, if I'm dead, aren't you supposed to be dead too?" I asked. "Since you're a part of me?"

He nodded. While he talked, he walked closer to me. "Well, yes, but when you die, there is usually a short period of time where there are still some electrical brain activity going on. This is it." I look at where the piano was. It's gone.

"Wow. I never knew. But why is this place all white? It's so lonely."

"Well, that is because you died," The old man explained. "You see, before you died, this place was much livelier, more colorful, more fun. Just like you."

I smiled.

"But recently, you became dull, gloomy, sad, all those things. This happy place slowly turned into this."

My smile disappeared.

"But let's not dwell on the sad. C'mon, let's go to the hallway of memories," the old man said.

He grabbed my hand. We walked forward and instantly, I can already see a black door in the distance with a gold door knob. As we got closer, I saw the intricate carvings on the door.

Once we were right in front of the door, the old man let go of my hand. Then, he put the same hand into his pocket and pulled out a golden key. He unlocked the door slowly, so slow that I could hear the locks tumble inside the door knob.

"Are you ready Carly?" he asked.

I nodded. I knew why he asked me if I was ready. He knew that it is going to be hard to look at these fun memories.

He slowly opened the door. Once it was fully ajar, we stepped inside. The door immediately shut behind us. I looked back. The door is gone.

I look around us. It's very hard to describe the place. There's this dark matter with the colors purple, red, and dark blue swirling around us. There are screens floating in the air, some of them just showing static, some have broken screens. The ones that are not broken are playing some scenes. As I look closer, I realize that they're memories.

"C'mon kiddo," the old man said. I gasped. I thought Spencer said it.

"Are you okay?" the old man asked.

I nodded. "Yeah."

We start walking forward. In front of me was a golden brick road. How cheesy. On the sides, there are some screens, but it looks like they're turned off. After we passed about fifty screens, the old man stops at a screen to the left. He takes the same key and puts it in the keyhole that's located underneath the screen, which was hidden from me.

"Watch this Carly," the old man said as he stood up.

The screen turned on like a normal TV does. Once the footage played, I gasped. Tears streamed down my eyes. The old man put an arm around me, rubbing my back.

"Do you remember this Carly?" he asked.

I nod. "The first time I met Sam."

I cried as I watched the two little girls fight over a tuna sandwich. It brought me happiness, but at the same time, sadness. Suddenly, the screen turned off, then it floated away.

"Let's keep moving Carly," the old man said. "We don't have a lot of time."

We walked down further the pathway. "Why is this place like this? All messed up and stuff."

"You're dying," he replied. "The brain is shutting down, causing memories to get destroyed. But if you do get revived, there's a high chance you'll get them back."

I sighed. "I don't want to get revived."

The old man said nothing in response. We just kept walking a while. He showed me another screen. That time, he showed me the time when we first made iCarly. He kept showing me different memories that were happy and full of life. After the last one he showed me, I was a blubbering, crying idiot.

"Do you know why I showed you these screens Carly?" the old man asked.

"Y-yes," I cried, stuttering.

"Why?"

"Y-you want-t me t-to get revived-d."

"C'mon Carly, give life another chance," the old man said. We arrived at another door. He opened it and we stepped in. We were surrounded with pure white again.

"I don't want to live anymore," I said a bit more firmly this time. "My bestest friends are dead! What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"Carly, first of all, are they really dead?" the old man asked.

"The agents pronounced them dead," I said.

"That doesn't mean they're really dead!" the old man said. "C'mon Carly, give life one more try! You only got one!"

Tears ran down my cheeks. "But what am I supposed to do?" I yelled. "I can't get over it because I feel like it's my fault and the pain is too much to handle! I feel empty inside when I don't have Sam and Freddie with me."

The old man sighed. Then, something on he ground caught his attention. I looked at the direction he was looking at and I saw a very dull sunflower. It looked old and it sagged down. I looked back at the old man. He smiled.

"It looks like you're not ready to die yet Carly," he said. "Good bye Carly. We'll talk to each other the next time you feel like you're doing something wrong."

Before I could ask what he was talking about, everything went black. Then, a beeping noise entered my ears...

* * *

Spencer lifted his head up from Carly's hand and looked at Carly. She was still unconscious, unmovable. Spencer smiled as he remembered good and funny memories with Carly.

About fifteen minutes later, Nurse Sam walks in.

"Hi Spencer," she greeted. "How's she doing?"

"She's still unconscious," Spencer said. Nurse Sam checked all the vitals of Carly's. "It looks like Carly hasn't gotten any better since I gave her some medicine. I'm so sorry Spencer."

Spencer just nodded, not wanting to speak anymore. All of a sudden, they hear a beeping. Mrs. Benson slowly wakes up from the sound.

"What's that noise?" Mrs. Benson asked, stretching and yawning.

"I think it's coming from that thing," Nurse Sam pointed to the remote control for Freddie's chip that was sitting on the side table.

Mrs. Benson's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh!" She quickly grabs the remote. Then she starts yelling and screaming in joy.

"Freddie's alive!" Mrs. Benson screamed. "It says he's near the Groovy Smoothies!"

All of a sudden, they hear Carly's bed groan. They look at her and realize she had opened her eyes.

"Carly!" Spencer shouted. "Oh my god." Spencer broke down. He immediately hugged her.

"Spencer?" Carly said, her voice raspy and weak. She felt pain throbbing throughout her body.

"This is unbelievable!" Nurse Sam exclaimed. "Two miracles just happened!"

"I need to get Freddie!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed, running out. "I hope you feel better Carly!" She was gone in an instant.

Spencer looked at Carly. Her eyes were bloodshot, filled with tears.

"Why're you crying?" Spencer asked.

Carly started to shake her head, tears sliding down her face. "I don't want to live Spencer," she whispered. "Please kill me now."

Spencer's heart almost stopped.

"No," Spencer said, crying. "Don't say that! Mrs. Benson is getting Freddie and Sam. They're coming home Carly!"

"I'm sorry Spencer," Carly cried. "I believe they're dead. I don't even know if I'm dreaming or not."

"Carly," Nurse Sam said. "Please stay. It would mean a lot for your brother."

"No!" Carly yelled. She cried even more. "I don't want to live anymore." Then her eyes widened. Then it disappeared. She tilted her head back, so you could see her whole neck.

"Carly, please don't do that," Nurse Sam said. "You've already injured your neck enough."

"Carly!" a familiar voice said.

Carly recognized who it was. It was her conscience. The old man.

"Carly! Don't do it!"

"I have to," Carly thought.

"Carly, you're scaring me," Spencer said.

"A useful tool for who in darkness dwell. Within you, corrupting like a deadly spell," Carly recited.

"Poison?" Nurse Sam answered. Then, Carly bit down on her molar, swallowing.

Nurse Sam's eyes widened. "Oh crap!"

The next thing Spencer knew, Carly was being pushed into the ER. Carly thrashed around in her bed, breathing quickly. Her eyes rolled up in her head. Spencer got scared.

"What the heck is happening?" Spencer asked.

"Cyanide!" Nurse Sam exclaimed. "She had cyanide the whole freakin' time!"

"How the heck did she get cyanide?" Spencer asked, crying.

"We don't know, but we have to revive her now," Nurse Sam said. They approached the ER doors. "I'm sorry, I can't let you past this door."

"No! Wait-"

"I'm really sorry Spencer," Nurse Sam said. "I'll try get her back for you." She disappeared into the ER with Carly and a bunch of other nurses pushing Carly in. Spencer found a seat and sat down on it. He sighed and covered his face. Just when he thought he could have Carly back, she kills herself again. It was terrible.

Spencer called Mrs. Benson. She told him what happened with Carly. She said she'd be right over.

Spencer sat there all by himself, feeling the loneliest he has ever been in his life.

"So this is what Carly felt," Spencer thought.

* * *

**A/N: Hey there! Sorry for this really late update! School has me busier than I thought! I hope this is good enough to last about a week. I'll try to upload the next chapter today, if I finish it. If not, I'll try next weekend. Please review and spread the word!**

**Oh, and if you got nothing to read this week, I suggest you read _iNever Asked For This_ by _icarlyfreak_. It is an awesome story. Go check it out! But probably all my reviewers have read it. It's got over 600 reviews! Amazing! Keep up the good work _icarlyfreak!_**


	21. Miracle Worker

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 21: Miracle Worker**

_(Sam and Freddie get lost in an underground maze. During their adventure, they find this super medicine called Quick-a-Heal, which heals injuries instantly, no matter how severe, with no side effects. They just recently escaped and met up with Pam, Sam's mom. On the other hand, Carly committed suicide twice, once being at Bushwell Plaza, jumping off the tenth floor, and once while in the hospital, after she was revived. She was rushed into the ER. Carly does this because the two agents who were assigned to find Sam and Freddie pronounced the two teens dead. This led Carly to believe that they are dead and that living was not worth it anymore. Mrs. Benson uses the chip in Freddie's head to locate Sam and Freddie. Mrs. Benson leaves the hospital to pick them up at the Groovy Smoothies.)_

_

* * *

_

Mrs. Benson wove through the traffic of Seattle. She had never driven so fast in her life. This was probably the first time she has ever speeded in her life. But Freddie was more important than a stupid speeding ticket.

Mrs. Benson kept an eye on the remote control to make sure Freddie was still at the Groovy Smoothies. He was there until five minutes later. He started to move away from it slowly. Mrs. Benson panicked. Then, she had a sudden urge to call Pam. They exchanged numbers. That's why

Mrs. Benson was gone. She spent time with Pam. She quickly dialed Pam's cell number.

"Y'ellow?" Pam answered.

"Oh thank goodness you answered!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed.

"Oh hey Marissa, how're you?"

"I'm fine, listen, are you at the Groovy Smoothies?"

"Hey, good guess! We were about to leave!"

"We?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell ya! Our littler babies are back! Isn't it great?"

Mrs. Benson took a sigh of relief. "Is my Freddie okay?" She almost

broke down.

"He's fine, in fact, I just fed him."

"What did you feed him?" Mrs. Benson asked.

"Dog food."

"Pam!"

"Relax, gosh, just trying to make you laugh!"

"Well, now's not a good time to laugh. Carly is in the hospital and is very ill, physically, and well...mentally. Tell Sam and Freddie, but don't rush it."

"Okay, I gotcha," Pam said.

"I'll be there in about five," Mrs. Benson said. "Please keep my baby Freddie safe!"

"Don't worry, your pet is fine!" Pam laughed.

"Pam!"

"Okay! Gosh! See ya in a bit." Then Pam hung up.

* * *

"Who was that?" Sam asked when Pam hung up.

"Oh, it was lover boy's mommy," Pam said, pointing at Freddie.

"Lover boy?" Freddie asked.

"I know you be kissin' and crushin' on my Sam!" Pam exclaimed. Freddie

blushed. Sam blushed even more.

"What did she say?" Freddie asked.

"She said she was gonna pick us up," Pam replied. "She also said something about Carly and how she is very sick and she's in the hospital or something."

"What?" Sam and Freddie burst out. "Why?"

Pam shrugged. "No clue."

All of a sudden, a car parks right in front of them. The window rolls down and reveals Mrs. Benson.

"Hop in!" she exclaimed. Freddie took shotgun, while Sam and Pam took the back.

"Mom!" Freddie yelled. He hugged his mom and let out a few tears.

"Oh Freddie! Oh, you have no idea how good it feels to hug you again!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed.

"Can we please have a family reunion later, Carly is in the hospital!" Sam said.

"Right, buckle in!" Mrs. Benson said. They drove off.

"Why is Carly in the hospital?" Sam asked.

"She committed suicide!" Mrs. Benson replies.

"What?" Sam, Pam, and Freddie yelled.

"Why?" Freddie asked.

"She was really depressed about you guys being lost. Also, these two agents who work for the FBI declared you two dead because they had no other choice," Mrs. Benson explained.

"Well, those agents are stupid!" Sam and Freddie yelled.

"How is she now?" Pam asked.

"When I left, she was conscious," Mrs. Benson said. "But I recently got a call from Spencer telling me to meet him at the ER when I pick you up. He sounded sad and distressed, so assume the worst."

"How did you know we were back?" Freddie asked.

"Uhh...maternal instincts," Mrs. Benson said. Freddie bought it. Mrs. Benson discreetly hid the remote control.

They arrived at the hospital and parked to closest spot to the entrance. They hurried into the ER. They spotted Spencer sitting in the waiting room.

"Spencer!" Sam exclaimed. She hugged him. Spencer hugged back lazily. Freddie gave him a hug too.

"What happened to Carly?" Freddie asked.

"She killed herself twice," Spencer said. Then, he told them everything that happened during the time Sam and Freddie was lost.

"So that's what happened, eh?" Sam said, her head hanging.

"What are they doing now?" Freddie asked.

"No clue," Spencer said. "But she's dead."

They all felt downhearted. It killed Sam and Freddie that they knew it was their fault that this happened. Even more so with Sam, because she is the one who stepped into the alley and persisted to go in.

"We need a miracle," Pam said.

Sam's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, that's it!"

"What?" Freddie asked.

"Quick-a-Heal!" Sam yelled. Everybody perked up.

"Yeah, that could work!" Freddie asked.

"Wait, what's this Zap-a-Recovery and what does it do?" Spencer asked.

"It's Quick-a-Heal, and it heals any kind of physical illness instantly," Sam explained. "With no side-effects."

"Sounds too good to be true," Spencer said.

"We've tried it before ourselves!" Freddie exclaimed.

"It works like charm!" Sam exclaimed.

"So where is it?" Mrs. Benson asked.

"Jet has it," Sam said looking around for him. "Where's Jet?"

"Shoot!" Freddie shouted, slamming a fist on his arm rest. "We forgot about Jet! He's probably still at the Groovy Smoothies!"

"Darn it!" Sam shouted. They sighed heavily. Sam let her head hang.

Freddie sat back and breathed. Mrs. Benson gasped. Pam slid down along the wall until her butt hit the ground. Spencer covered his eyes and groaned.

All of a sudden, a faint bark entered their ears. Sam's ears perked up.

"Jet?" she said. All of a sudden, out of pure one hundred percent luck, Jet comes rushing in through the door with the plastic bag in his mouth.

"Yes!" Freddie yelled. He got the bag and searched through it.

"Jet's such a smart dog!" Sam exclaimed. "He followed us here all the

way from the Groovy Smoothies!"

"Got it!" Freddie exclaimed, holding up the minuscule bottle of magic medicine.

"Are you sure this'll work?" Spencer asked, a bit of hope in his eyes.

"It should work as long as she is still alive," Freddie said.

"But how're you going give the medicine to her?" Mrs. Benson asked. "As far as I know, teenagers are the last thing they need in an ER except of that teenager is the patient!"

Sam and Freddie looked at each other and nodded. "By force," they said in unison.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back! So sorry I haven't updated in a while. I provided a longer summary for people who don't remember what happened at the previous chapters of the story at the top. Long story short, I lost my iPod touch, which had chapter 21 and 22 done! I went to Plan B immediately and borrowed my brother's iPod touch, but he got it taken away. So, having no Plan C, I waited until he got his iPod back, which was Wednesday last week. I'll try to update once a week, since I will be writing during the week. I'm so sorry, again, for making you guys wait. Please enjoy!**


	22. Everyday

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 22: Everyday**

_"But how're you going give the medicine to her?" Mrs. Benson asked. "As far as I know, teenagers are the last thing they need in an ER room except of that teenager is the patient!"_

_Sam and Freddie looked at each other and nodded. "By force," they said in unison._

_

* * *

_

Sam and Freddie busted the ER room open and stepped in. The room was packed full of nurses. Carly was lying down on a bed in the middle of the room. The nurses looked at Sam and Freddie.

"Hey, you're not supposed to be in here!" a doctor said, who had a very thick Italian accent.

"We believe we have the cure for Carly!" Sam exclaimed.

"Please don't joke about this!" the doctor said. "It is no laughing matter!"

"We're not kidding!" Freddie shouted.

"No, I have this under control. Please leave now." Then he signaled for the nurses to take them out.

A couple of nurses went and grabbed Sam and Freddie and tried to haul them out of the room. Sam and Freddie fought back.

"No, you're making a big mistake!" Sam shouted, trying to pry off a nurse's arm off of her.

"You are the ones who are making the mistake of going in here," the doctor said. "I have countless years of medical knowledge and training. I know what to do."

"Let us see her!" Sam shouted, ignoring the doctor. Sam managed to break free from the nurse's grip. Freddie broke away a few seconds later. He was surprised when he saw that the nurse looked just like Sam.

"That's it, security!" the doctor yelled out.

"No!" Sam yelled.

"Please hear us out, we may have a-" Freddie was cut off with an ominous beeping sound.

"What's happening?" Sam asked.

"Her vitals are going down," a nurse said.

"BP is decreasing," another nurse said.

"Heart rate decreasing," the nurse who looked like Sam said.

"What the hell is going on?" Sam asked.

"She's dying," the doctor said.

* * *

I opened my eyes and saw darkness. The silence stung my ears. I walked forward a little. Then, I heard a melody in the distance. I walked faster and I also saw light. I look down and notice that I was wearing a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and shoes. But they were all black, unlike last time, which was all white.

I went on further until I saw the source of the music and light. It was the old man again, my conscience, playing a beautiful black grand piano. The light came from the lamp that was sitting on top of the piano.

I walked around the piano, waiting for the old man to finish the song. It was quite nice. I enjoyed it. Although I've never heard of the song before, it was quite familiar. The sad, yet riveting song reminded me of everyday life and how we go through it, overcoming obstacles, stuff like that.

Once he was done playing, he looked up. The peaceful, brown eyes that I wished to see were long gone. They were now hard, cold, like a frozen brown lake of smooth darkness.

"Hi," I said.

"Carly," he said. The soothing aspect of his voice was gone too.

"Look, I know you're mad at me for-"

"Being mad at you doesn't even describe my feelings toward you right now," the old man said coolly. "You just wasted a miracle, a second chance! Those don't come up too often in life you know."

"It's a good thing I'm gonna be dead then," I snapped. He glared at me. For some reason, I felt like I should've never said that. Tears welled up in my eyes. I didn't know why, it just happened. "Look, I tried to explain to you earlier that I didn't want to live anymore! Is there a problem with that?"

"Yes, there is major problem with that!" the old man said. "God created us to want to live. He programmed us to love living and to hate death. That is why people don't want to die. If you want to die, then you must have some internal damage somewhere."

"Maybe I do have some damage," I said. "In fact, I know I do have some damage. It was caused by Sam and Freddie."

"Oh?" he said. "So you're blaming this on Sam and Freddie now?"

I sighed. "No, I just..." I sighed again. "I just can't stand living without them."

"Carly," the old man said. "You keep saying the same thing over and over again! All you have to do is move on and try to live a normal-"

"Easier said than done!" I yelled. The old man was taken back. "You haven't a clue of what I'm going through! The pain was just too much! I had to kill myself to get rid of that pain."

"Don't you think that's a bit selfish?" the old man asked. "You kill yourself to take away your pain, yet, you give out pain to the people that are here."

"I'm sure they would do the same thing if they were in my shoes," I said, as I wiped my tears.

"Spencer was just as close to Sam and Freddie as you were," the old man said. "You don't see him jumping off a building, do ya? In fact, he's been trying to help you!"

I stayed silent.

"He has the burden of losing his friends, his other little siblings, and he has the other burden of you."

The words stung. "That's exactly why I killed myself," I said, tears streamed down my face.

The old man sighed. "Do you know what that song I was just playing was called?"

"No," I replied.

"It was called Everyday, by Carly Comando," he said.

"Oh, great job picking a song who was composed by a person with the same name as me!" I shouted.

"That's not why I chose this song," the old man said.

"Why then!" I yelled.

"Girl, you better calm yourself down!" he said aggressively. He cleared his throat. "I chose this song because it represents everyday of our lives. There are some good, a lot of bad. But we can choose to move on. We don't have to dwell in the past. Like a car in a freeway, if we miss an exit, we have to keep moving forward, or else we get rear-ended."

I thought about it. It was all true. I nodded my head.

"Ok," I said weakly. The old man grinned. "I understand you. I guess I'm just another car who got rear-ended." The old man's grin disappeared. "I wish to die, and I will die. You can't stop me from doing so."

The old man looked down and covered his face. "Okay," he said. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the same key from last time. He tossed it to the ground. I picked it up. I was about to ask him what this was for, but then he just pointed to his right.

I looked and saw a door. There was nothing fancy about it, intricate carvings or anything. On the door, in red, dripping, ink, the word 'death,' was on it. It had a golden door knob.

The old man stood up and walked away from me. He never looked back.

I stepped forward to the door. I inserted the key. I slowly unlocked the door. I heard the locks tumble. I open the door slowly. Tears welled up.

"This is it," I said.

* * *

"C'mon, you gotta let us give her this medicine!" Freddie exclaimed.

"No!" the doctor shouted. "I could lose my license of I did that! That substance is not approved by our dean of medicine!"

"Look, she's dying," Sam said, pointing to Carly. "What would you rather do? Would you rather risk your license and most possibly save Carly, or would you rather let her die and keep your damn license? There's that one chance that Carly can make it if you take this risk! Hurry!"

The doctor thought about.

"Doc, please hurry," a nurse said. "Heart rate is at 55."

"Fine!" he shouted. "Give her the medicine!"

Sam and Freddie smile. They rush to Carly. They try to open her mouth, but to no avail.

_50 heart beats per minute._

"Please hurry," the doctor said.

"We can't get her mouth to open," Freddie said.

_43 heart beats per minute._

"That won't work orally," the doctor said.

_36 heart beats per minute._

"So how do we get this into her?" Sam asked.

"Intravenously," he replied, taking out a needle.

_25 heart beats per minute._

Freddie grabbed the needle and tried to fill it with one drop of Quick-a-Heal. Easier said than done.

"Dang it!" Freddie shouted, struggling to get the right amount. It would be either too much or not enough. It was really frustrating.

_11 heart beats per minute._

"Hurry!" practically everybody said in the room.

_7 heart beats per minute._

"I got it!" Freddie yelled.

"Quickly, give it here!" said the nurse who looked like Sam. She was closer to Carly.

Freddie threw it gently at her.

_3 heart beats per minute._

"Quickly!" Sam said. Eveybody was at their tiptoes.

"I have to find the right vein!" the nurse said, feeling Carly's arm. "I got it!" She stabbed the needle in and released the tiny drop of Quick-a-Heal.

_0 heart beats per minute._

* * *

I look into the door. I look down and see a swirling whirlpool of hot, blue lava. It was a sight to see. I look behind me. The old man was still in sight, but he was getting farther and farther.

I turn my attention to the piano and lamp. All of a sudden, the items were crushed by this invisible force. I turn back around to face death.

I looked into the fiery whirlpool. I saw some TV screens of my memories being destroyed. I took one final breath.

"This is it," I whispered. I leaned forward. I closed my eyes.

I fell.

All of a sudden, my face hit the floor. Wait, there was no floor. I open my eyes. I was looking straight at a floor that wasn't there before.

What in the heck happened?

I stood up and looked around. The room was dark. The blue lava was gone. I exited the room from where I came from. I looked at the crushed piano. All of a sudden, is started to repair itself. Before I knew it, the piano and lamp was now in pristine condition.

I looked behind me. The door shut itself. Then, the door cracked like glass. Then, it fell into a million pieces. I turned around and saw the old man sitting on the piano stool.

"What's happening?" I asked.

The old man couldn't stop smiling. "I know life is hard, but sometimes, you just gotta push yourself. I'll be with you and try to make the right decisions."

"What the heck are you talking about?" I asked, utterly confused. "What's going on?"

"Bye Carly," the old man said, waving. Then he turned around and started to play The Entertainer. Before I could react, everything in front of me disappeared and I felt the worst pain I have ever felt.

* * *

Everybody in the room let their heads hang. The noise of the monitor stings their ears as it shows 0 heart beats per minute.

Nurse Sam sighed. "I didn't make it in time. I'm so sorry."

Sam and Freddie walk over to Carly. They let their tears drop as they mourn over their dead best friend. They each take a side of her and grasp her hand. Sam falls to her knees, sobbing her eyes out.

"Carly!" Sam yells. "No! No!"

Freddie is speechless. He couldn't move. They were so close, yet so far.

Spencer, Mrs. Benson, and Pam rush in.

"What happened?" Spencer asked. Nobody answers him. He looks at the two crying teens, then at the monitor. Mrs. Benson and Pam gasp as soon as they see the monitor. A fresh wave of tear hit Spencer. He walked over to Carly. He kisses her forehead.

"I love you Carly," Spencer sobbed. "I just wish I could've done more. I'm so sorry."

They stayed there for a couple of minutes. The doctor stayed out of their way. The nurses kept silent. Nurse Sam was gently sobbing, as she couldn't get the medicine to Carly in time.

All of a sudden, a ray of hope enters their ears as they hear beeping. Everybody turns their heads towards Carly.

_10 heart beats per minute._

"It worked!" Nurse Sam yells. "It worked! I got it in time!"

Sam, Freddie, and Spencer couldn't believe that Carly is still alive. Mrs. Benson and Pam shared a teary hug. Every nurse is stunned, but happy.

It was short-lived.

All of a sudden, a blood-curdling scream rips open their ears. They are all surprised to see Carly, squirming in her bed, sweating and in pain.

"What is happening?" Spencer asked, panicking.

He got no answer. All the nurses and the doctor were running to Carly, trying to see what's wrong with her.

"Heart rate is at 200," a nurse said.

"BP is extremely high," another nurse said.

"Fever is at 130!" Nurse Sam exclaimed.

"Get her temp down now!" the doctor yells. "She's gonna practically kill burn herself alive if this keeps going on!"

Sam and Freddie knew what was happening. The Quick-a-Heal was working. But the pain period lasted longer than usual. This worried Sam and Freddie.

Nurse Sam walked in with a bucket of ice cold water and dumped it all over Carly. Her squirming stopped, but her fever is still high.

"Muscle cramps all over her body," a nurse said.

"Wait, stop!" Sam shouted. "Leave her alone!"

"Leave her alone?" the doctor asked, outraged. "Leave her alone when she's on the brink of death, again!"

"See, look!" Freddie pointed at the monitor. Heart rate was at a 90 beats per minute.

"What just happened?" Nurse Sam asked.

"That whole episode was the Quick-a-Heal," Freddie explained. "You should've not done anything. That just made it worse."

"Everything looks stable!" Nurse Sam exclaimed.

"It looks like she shouldn't be here in the hospital!" the doctor exclaimed.

Sam and Freddie walked up to Carly. Her heart rate was now at a healthy 60. She didn't look pale anymore when Spencer looked at her.

Then, their all their hearts jumped when she opened her eyes.

Carly gasped in for air as she opened her eyes. Everybody took a step back. She just laid there, breathing deeply.

"Carly?" Sam said, approaching her.

"Carly?" Freddie asked.

They were standing over the breathing, alive Carly. She is still soaking wet with the cold water they threw on her.

When her deep breathing stops, Carly sees Sam and Freddie. She looks at them. Her eyes well up with tears.

"Sam?" Carly asked with a very raspy voice.

"I'm right here Carls," Sam replied, holidng her hand.

"Freddie?" Carly asked.

"What's up?" Freddie said, smiling.

Spencer took her other hand and kissed it. "I missed you Carly."

* * *

I screamed in pain. It was the worst pain ever! My whole body squirmed violently as the pain coursed its way through my body. I felt hot, sweaty, and in pain.

All of a sudden, I felt ice cold water thrown on me. I felt really nice. I stopped squirming. The heat was gone, but the pain was still there. Then, it went away. Just like that, the pain disappeared.

I finally opened my eyes. I sucked in some air. Before I new it, I was out of air and needed it badly, so I gasped for it. My vision was blurry. I waited until my eyes adjusted.

Once my eyes adjusted, I saw immediately Sam and Freddie. I couldn't believe myself. They're alive! Happy and well!

"And it's all true," a deep voice rang through my head. It was my conscience.

I couldn't believe this was real. I cried. But I had to feel them if they were real.

"Sam?" I asked.

"I'm right here, Carls," Sam replied, holding my hand. Her hand felt warm, alive, and most importantly, real.

"Freddie?" I asked.

"What's up?" Freddie said, smiling.

Then, Spencer took my hand and kissed it. "I missed you Carly."

"I want to tell you all something," I whispered. My voice was failing on me.

"What is it?" Spencer asked. Mrs. Benson and Pam showed up.

"I love you guys," I said. Then, I passed out of fatigue. That was the first time, in a long time, that I smiled.

Everyday life seemed to be more bearable now.

* * *

**A/N: Quite a chapter! Pretty long, eh? I hope you guys enjoyed. Sorry it was a little late, my brother got his iPod taken away again, and he only got it back yesterday. Please review! :D**

**_Just a side-note here, if you or a friend or somebody you know have suicidal thoughts, please seek immediate professional help! Your life is worth it! We all have a purpose in life, and it is never to die. If you know someone who is suicidal, seek help for them, because it can be the difference between life and death. This might sound weird to some of you guys, but suicide is a serious thing. Hopefully this message saves a couple of lives. Thanks._**


	23. 22 to 21

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 23: 22-21**

_"I want to tell you all something," I whispered. My voice was failing on me._

_"What is it?" Spencer asked. Mrs. Benson and Pam showed up._

_"I love you guys," I said. Then, I passed out of fatigue. That was the first time, in a long time, that I smiled._

_Everyday life seemed to be more bearable now._

_

* * *

_

I woke up, feeling dizzy and nauseated. When I opened my eyes, I saw that I was in a different room. The room had a TV suspended on the ceiling, a few chairs, and the bed where I was lying on. There was a sign on my door, which said, "Rehab 104." I was by myself. I looked at

the clock on the wall. It was 3:10, and judging by the sunlight that streamed through the windows, I concluded that it was PM.

I blinked a few times and my nausea went away. I still felt like trash, though. I looked beside me and saw a side table. There were flowers. There was a card. I took it.

_We hope you feel better! :)_

_From your loyal fans at iCarly!_

I smiled involuntarily. I put the card down and grabbed the remote that was next to the boquet of flowers. I turned the TV on. The news was on.

"Breaking news!" an Asian woman exclaimed. At the top left corner of the screen, it said "LIVE."

"Internet sensation, Carly Shay, co-host of the worldwide phenomenon iCarly, is alive! You may remember a few days ago that Carly Shay was admitted into the hospital for a suicide attempt. Courtney Hagerty is with us live with more info about this."

Then, it switched to a blonde haired woman. She was standing outside of a very familiar hospital.

"Thanks Carla," the blonde reporter said. For some reason, my ears perked up when I heard "Carla." That was Jet's wife's name, wasn't it?

"I am here at Kindred Hospital Seattle with Carly's big brother, Spencer Shay," Courtney said. The camera widened out, revealing Spencer, smiling nonstop. They were both outside, in front of the entrance of the hospital.

"So, I see your smiling," Courtney said, smiling. "I'm guessing great news?"

"Oh, you better believe it!" Spencer exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"What can tell us about the iCarly gang?" Courtney asked, obviously trying to hold back her laughs.

"Well, Carly is alive and well. She is in rehab right now. They say she looks perfectly fine, they might discharge her in the next week or so."

"That's some great news. What about her friends, Sam and Freddie?"

"Well, I can't tell you much about that. But I can tell you that Sam and Freddie are alive and well. They plan on revealing footage and stories and everything on the next iCarly."

"Sounds good Spencer," Courtney said. "Do you know when the next iCarly webisode might be?"

"They plan on two weeks," Spencer said. "But it's worth the wait because they are gonna do a big event about. More details soon."

"All right!" Courtney exclaimed, the camera zooming in on her. "There ya have it folks. Seems this isn't the final chapter of the iCarly gang after all. It seems this was just an obstacle in the road of life. I can already hear the millions of fans screaming because of iCarly not being canceled. I'm Courtney Hagerty."

Right before they cut, Spencer appeared in the background, dancing crazily. I laughed. It made me feel...alive.

A nurse came in my room. It was Sam. Wait, why was Sam dressed up as a nurse? I turned off the TV.

"Sam?" I asked in disbelief.

"Oh, hi Carly!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know you were awake! How're you feeling?"

I scrunched my eyebrows together. "I feel fine. Why're are dressed up like a nurse?"

She looked confused. "Because I am a nurse."

"Wait, you work here?" I asked, surprised that it wasn't Sam.

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing, you just look exactly like my friend. Guess what her name is."

"Sam?"

"You guessed correctly!"

"Oh, your friend? Yeah, we kinda do look alike."

"So where are they?"

"Well, your friends are in school. They're probably heading over here cuz' school just got out, I bet. Your brother, Spencer is outside talking to some reporter."

"Yeah, I saw him on the news," I said, pointing to the TV.

"Yeah...he's kinda cute," Nurse Sam said.

My head snapped at her. "Eww."

We both laughed.

"Wow, you seem like a really outgoing person. If I may ask, why did you commit suicide?" Nurse Sam asked. She sat down on one of the chairs.

I knew this was gonna happen. I'm gonna get asked this a lot.

"Well, I guess you could say that I lost my meaning in life," I said, trying to best put it in words. "Sam and Freddie are best friends. They're awesome in every way possible. My body and mind shut down, almost, kinda like your heart is ripped out."

"Wow," Nurse Sam replied. "I didn't know that. How come you're happy now?"

"Well, I'm not happy," I said. "Matter of fact, I'm very depressed. The thought of losing Sam and Freddie again is so frightening that I'm trying to..."

"To what?" Nurse Sam asked.

"It's kinda hard to say, but in simple terms, break my bonds with them?"

Nurse Sam's ears perked up. "Why?"

"Well, you know that I am very depressed because I lost my best friends, and-"

"Ah," Nurse Sam said. "You're afraid to get close to people. You're afraid you're gonna lose them, just like with Sam and Freddie."

I nodded.

"Well," she said, standing up. "Let me give you some advice. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of getting close to someone. Don't be afraid in general! Because these friends, these people that we make bonds with, makes us who we are. I'm sure you can agree with me that the people you hang around with affects your personality, right?"

I nodded.

"So if you have no friends, or anybody close, who will you be?"

"But how will I be myself when I lose those people close to me, again?" I asked.

Nurse Sam smiled. "Just remember, nobody can force you to do and/or be anything. Even your friends. It is only your choice. If you lose another loved one, you can choose how to react. Either suicide or move on."

My eyes widened. She sounded exactly like my conscience. I smiled back.

"Thanks," I said. "I really appreciated it."

"Hey, no problem," she responded, walking toward me. "And if you ever want to talk to someone, call me. I'm a shrink too."

She handed me a card. It was her psychology office she ran not far from Bushwell Plaza.

"Hey, the sessions are on me, alright?" Nurse Sam said.

I smiled in disbelief. "Wow. Thanks!"

"No problem!" she said. "So, let me check up on you. How're you feeling?"

Nurse Sam did the routine check to see if I was healthy. She said I was. In fact, my condition is better than before I committed suicide!

"That was some good medicine!" Nurse Sam exclaimed.

"What medicine?" I asked.

"Oh, your friends gave you some medicine," Nurse Sam said. "It saved your life."

Wow. That's big.

"You wanna take a shower?" Nurse Sam asked.

I finally realize how disguisting I smell, how my face is greasy and my hair is just in a tangle of crazy mess. And even though I couldn't smell my breath, I could taste it. Eww!

"Yes please," I replied.

Nurse Sam helped me up. I felt a bit weak, but once I got a few steps going, I felt much better. She led me to a shower room. She gave me a towel, a toothbrush, toothpaste and some of my fresh clothes. Athletic shorts, tank top, and socks, with underwear, of course. I asked her where she got them.

"Spencer dropped them off for you," Nurse Sam replied.

"Where is Spencer?"

"He went home to get some sleep. He's been really tired, and I said I'd take good care of you."

Wow. I must've put Spencer through a lot. I feel very sorry for Spencer. I hope he gets his well-deserved sleep.

I took a shower. It was the best shower I have ever taken in my life. I brushed my teeth after the shower. After drying my hair, I headed back to my room. Nurse Sam was already there, sitting down on a chair.

"Feel refreshed?" she asked.

"Oh definitely," I replied.

"Well, let's go to the court!" Nurse Sam exclaimed. When she stood up, I noticed that she was wearing some athletic wear too. She tossed me a pair of tennis shoes my size. I quickly put them on.

"Wait, what are we doing?" I asked, following her outside.

"We're gonna go to the basketball court," she said. "We're gonna play a little basketball."

"Why?" I asked.

"To see if your physical health is fine. If you do well, you'll get discharged earlier."

"Well, then I guess I'll be staying here in the hospital in a while, cuz' I suck at anything athletic and I don't know how to play basketball."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do fine."

We entered the gym. It was a big basketball court. It had a high ceiling. There was an electric scoreboard near the bleachers. There was a rack of basketballs in the center of the court.

Nurse Sam took a ball and passed it to me. Surprisingly, I caught it perfectly.

"So, why don't we see if you can do a lay-up," she said. "Do what I do."

She took another ball and dribbled it. Then she started to do some fancy things, like between her legs, then behind the back. Then she took off from the half-court line. She quickly glided down to the basket and did a lay-up. The ball sailed in.

"Your turn."

I looked at the ball. I started dribbling it. I was actually dribbling the ball! Wow! I remember when I was in P.E. doing our basketball unit. The ball somehow always didn't end up in my hand after I bounced it on the ground.

"Go on for the lay-up!" Nurse Sam exclaimed.

I nodded. I looked at the hoop. The hoop looked less intimidating than it did during P.E. I dribbled the ball as I ran towards the basket and banked the ball off the board and it went in.

"Wow!" Nurse Sam exclaimed. "That was pretty good! Now do a jump shot."

I was smart enough to know what a jump shot was. I picked a random spot inside the three-point line and did a perfect jump shot. All I could hear was the snapping of the net as it went in.

"You said you didn't know how to play basketball!" Nurse Sam exclaimed. "You did a perfect jump shot! You had the posture and everything!"

I shrugged. "It just came naturally!"

"Well, since you look like you're good, how about a one-on-one match?" Nurse Sam asked.

Normally, I would've said heck no, but my confidence level has risen.

"Yeah, sure, why not," I said.

"Make it a two-on-two," a familiar voice echoed through the court. I looked and saw Sam and Freddie. Sam said it.

All of a sudden, I felt this giddiness inside me that I have never felt before. I ran up to them and gave them a gigantic hug. Tears started to pour from my eyes.

"I missed you guys," I said.

They hugged back. "We missed you too."

Once I finally pulled away from the hug, I noticed that both of them look a lot bonier and thinner than they used to be. They also looked very tired. There were a few bags below heir eyes.

"It's good to see you guys again," I said.

"So how about it?" Nurse Sam called out. "I got the scoreboard working! We'll do a twelve minute game!"

"Let's do it!" Freddie yelled.

* * *

Sweat dripped down my face. I was panting. Adrenaline coursed through

my veins. I never felt so alive.

Freddie was really aggressive during the game. He was good. I think he was better than Sam! Sam played aggressive too, but Freddie was a lot more aggressive, which was kinda out-of-character for Freddie. I was paired up with Nurse Sam. Freddie and normal Sam were teammates.

The game was down to the wire. We had possession of the ball. I was dribbling it near the half-court line. There were ten seconds left. Sam and Freddie were up by two. It was 19-21. Nurse Sam freed herself from Sam's defense. I throw a quick pass. She catches and shoots behind the

three-point line. To my and Nurse Sam's horror, the ball hit the front rim and missed.

My immediate reaction was to get the rebound. I flew past Freddie and leaped up for the ball. I caught Freddie in a surprise and I got the ball. There were three seconds left.

I ran past the three-point line and shot a very off-balance three. The buzzer went off as the ball was flew through the air.

The sweet sound of snapping of the net as the ball went in the basket entered my ears.

I couldn't believe I won. I cheered. Final score: 22-21.

"Whoooooo!" I yelled as I did a victory lap. "Carly Shay makes the buzzer beater to give the Shrinks a one-point win over the Lost Roamers! Whoo!"

"Good game Carly," Sam said.

"Yeah, good game," I replied. "Good game Freddie."

"Yeah, yeah," he said. I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you played extremely well Carly," Nurse Sam said. "You can be discharged sooner than I had expected!"

"How soon?" I asked.

"Tomorrow!" she exclaimed.

Sam and I cheered as we heard good news. I saw Freddie smile in the corner of my eye.

"You should really try out for the girls basketball team for your school," Nurse Sam said. "You got skills."

"Thanks," I said. "You're not pretty bad yourself."

"Eh," she replied.

We all headed into my rehab room to cool down. I managed to take another bath and good ol' Spencer left me my favorite PJ's to sleep in.

When I went back, Sam and Freddie were watching TV. Nurse Sam wasn't there.

"How was school guys?" I asked.

"Like hell," Freddie said. That was unexpected.

"What he means is that there are a lot of kids bothering us about iCarly," Sam said nicely.

"Oh," I said, lying down in my bed. The time was 7:00.

"You guys should really go home now," I said. "It's already seven."

"But we wanna stay!" Sam exclaimed.

"No, please, go. You've exhausted yourselves enough with the getting lost and school and me."

"Okay," Freddie said. "See ya later Carls."

"Freddie!" Sam exclaimed.

"What? She wants us to leave! Let's go! I'm tired!"

"C'mon Sam, just go," I said. "We'll do some catching up to do tomorrow after I get discharged, alright?"

"Okay," Sam said. "Good night Carly." She gave me a hug. I hugged back.

"Bye Freddie!" I called out to him, who was standing at the doorway.

"Bye," he replied. He went up to me and gave me a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Freddie!" Sam exclaimed, outraged.

"What?" he asked.

"Really, it's okay Sam," I said, blushing a little.

"It's not for me, c'mere you!" Sam grabbed Freddie and they headed out.

Was it just me, or did they seem really different?

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back on track! I'm gonna be writing up chapter 24 this week and hopefully update by next Saturday. Keep in mind that my brother gets his iPod taken away once almost every week, so if it is late, I apologize. Please spread the word! If you have a big story that gets a lot of reviews, it would be so awesome if you guys can mention this story in your author's notes. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks and I hope you enjoyed! :)**


	24. At School All Day

**iAm Not Afraid**

**A/N: Okay guys, I am so sorry. I have been off the grid for a couple of years now, but I'm back! I'm so sorry to keep you hanging, hopefully you guys will give me another chance. Remember, I started this story like two years ago or something like that, so it totally ignores everything that has happened so far in canon iCarly. So, I've got this chapter done, I'm working on the next chapter. Please enjoy and review!**

**And if you need a refresher, just go back a chapter and read the beginning. There should be a summary there.**

**Chapter 24: At School All Day**

_Was it just me, or did they really seem different?_

* * *

Sam and Freddie headed home with their moms from the hospital. What a night it has been for those two teens. They escaped a deathly tunnel maze and their best friend was saved from death. They were both at the back seat of Mrs. Benson's car. Pam and Mrs. Benson kept pestering their children with questions about the tunnels and how they survived.

"Guys!" Freddie exclaimed, tired of all the noise. "We're both very tired. Please, let us have some rest!"

"Ditto," Sam sighed.

"We're sorry," Mrs. Benson said. "We're just worried about you."

"The only thing you need to worry about is our sleep deprivation," Freddie said.

"We'll leave you to sleep," Pam said. Then, the two adults chatted.

Sam leaned his head on Freddie's shoulder. Freddie leaned his head on Sam's head. They both sighed, very fatigued.

"You think Carly's gonna be fine?" Sam whispered, her voice failing from fatigue.

"Yeah," Freddie replied in a whisper. "She has to be. After all, we're back!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sam said. "She seemed fine."

"She is fine. Don't let your overly-tired brain think too much about it okay?"

"But I can't stop thinking about it!"

"Maybe this'll help you forget," Freddie said. He turned his head and kissed Sam on the lips.

"That feels good, do that again," Sam whispered, smiling.

They kissed deeper. They tried to be discreet about it. They made it the whole way, kissing, without getting caught. But they kissed too long because when Mrs. Benson and Pam turned around, they were in for a surprise.

"Uuhhhh...guys...we're-"

"Fredward Benson!" Mrs. Benson gasped, cutting off Pam.

The couple pulled away and blushed profusely.

"What?" Freddie asked.

"Don't you 'what?' me! Why were you kissing Sam?"

"Cuz they're in love," Pam answered.

"But Pam! Your daughter practically kills my Freddie every single day!

I dunno if they should be allowed to date!"

"Are you saying that I'm too young to date cuz-"

"Freddie," Mrs. Benson cut him off. "I'm not. I'm perfectly fine with you dating. But seeing you with Sam-"

"What's wrong with me?" Sam asked.

"Yeah Marissa!" Pam exclaimed. "What's wrong with my girl?"

"It's just that you are really-oh it's hard to put it in words-"

"I'm a monster?" Sam asked. "I'm a freak? I'm not a girl cuz I beat guys up? I'm not pretty? What? What is it? Because I bet you that it is way off from the truth."

Mrs. Benson sighed. "You're different from the other girls."

Sam rolled her eyes. "You're comparing me to Carly, aren't you?"

"No!" Mrs. Benson responded. "Well, yeah, but-"

"Just give us a chance!" Freddie exclaimed. "We just started going out!"

"But why should I give Sam a chance when I know what she's capable of doing to you?"

"Look, I may be different," Sam said. "But no other girl will

appreciate Freddie as much as I will. You might be surprised to hear this, but I've been liking Freddie for a long time. And ya know what? If Freddie wasn't with me down in that hellhole, I would a freakin' carcass by now. Plus, he knows who I am and let's me be me. I can hit him and insult him, but he's still always there for me. So I guess the physical attacks are my way of showing that I care about Freddie, like you show your care for him by being overly protective. Please give us a chance Mrs. Benson."

Pam smiled at Sam. She mouthed, "Nice!"

Mrs. Benson nodded and got out of the car. Pam followed.

Sam was about to get out when Freddie kissed Sam on the lips.

"Good job," Freddie said.

"Well, I am a good actress," Sam said. They laughed, kissed one more time and headed upstairs to Freddie's apartment to get some sleep.

* * *

Sam and Pam slept over at the Benson's. Sam was about to sleep with Freddie in his room, but Mrs. Benson forbid her to go in Freddie's room while they were alone. Pam agreed. Sam was obviously annoyed, but she dealt with it. Pam and Sam slept on the sofas. Freddie and Sam woke up really late. The sun practically blinded them. Sam went to the bathroom. Freddie went into his bathroom. Then, they met in the living room, still a bit drowsy.

"Hey," Freddie yawned. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a baby!" Sam replied. "What time is it?"

"One in the afternoon," Freddie replied, looking at his phone.

"Where are the moms?" Sam asked.

"My mom sent me a text message. It says that they are at Carly's place and go there after taking a shower, SEPARATELY."

They both laughed. Then, they realized how stinky they are. They were pretty dirty from the tunnels, especially the sewers.

Sam found a pile of her new clothes. "I guess this is from my mom!"

Sam said. Freddie handed her a towel and they took they warmest shower they could have. It felt so good to them. It was like the shower washed the tired-ness away.

They got dressed, then headed to Carly's place. They knocked on the door and Spencer answered.

"Hey guys!" Spencer greeted. "You're just in time! some FBI agents are here to ask you some question and figure out what that place was."

"Coolio!" Sam exclaimed.

Sam and Freddie entered and saw two agents wearing big, brown coats, one guy and the other a girl. They were both on the sofa. They spotted their moms, they sat on the stair steps.

"Hello," the guy greeted. "I'm Agent Darin Ramírez and this is my partner Agent Kaitlin Sturgeon."

"Hi," Sam greeted, who sat down on the stool.

"Hey," Freddie said, taking the stool next to Sam.

"We were on this case, trying to find you guys," Agent Sturgeon said.

"You're the ones who killed Carly?" Freddie asked. The smiles disappeared from the agents' faces.

"Freddie!" Sam exclaimed. "Be nice."

"Whatevs," Freddie said.

"Sorry for that inappropriate comment," Sam said. "Go on."

The agents never smiled again. "We are excavating the tunnels as we speak," Agent R said. "When they first entered, they found a pile of bones. Did you guys see that?"

"Yeah," Sam replied. "That person was suspended from the ground by chains. I touched him, then the bones fell to the ground."

"Is there anything else that you saw about the man?" Agent S asked.

"No, not that I know of," Sam replied.

"It was really scary looking," Freddie added with a bit of a sarcastic tone.

"Are you sure you didn't see anything else? Maybe a..." Agent S trailed off.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Where'd you get that ring?" Agent S asked. When Agent R saw the ring, he became alert too.

"Oh this?" Sam asked, pointing to the red ring she was wearing on her left ring finger. "Oh that's right, I got it off of the dead guy's finger!"

"Really? Which finger?"

"The left ring finger."

"That's one case solved," Agent R said. He pulled out a folder. He took out a picture of an Asian man and woman.

"This is Jetto Pogi, commonly known as Jet," Agent R said. "He is the man you saw. See his ring? It's that same ring."

"Whoa," Sam said. "Freddie, you see that?"

"Yeah," Freddie said. "Where's the wife?"

"Nobody knows," Agent S replied. "Some say she moved to back to her home country of Japan, some think she died. We're not sure."

"Is there anything else that you found in the maze?" Agent R asked.

"Quick-a-Heal, the stuff that saved Carly, Sam, and I," Freddie said.

"And a stray dog that Sam ironcally named Jet."

"Can we get the Quick-a-Heal?" Agent S asked. "We'll send a sample down to get it tested. It could be the number one medicine in the future."

"Cool, when will we have the results and some info on who built that God-forsaken place?" Freddie asked.

"In a few days," said Agent S. "Don't tell anything about this to Carly. Keep her out of it until she's healthy."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"We don't want to worry her," Agent S explained. "She needs to rest and recover. So do you guys as well. Stay out of school for about a week or so."

"You may also want to eat up, because you guys look really malnourished," Agent R said. "And if you visit Carly today, say that you were in school all day."

"We gotcha," Freddie said.

The agents left abruptly. Sam and Freddie felt hungry, so they ate some ham. Spencer cooked some spaghetti tacos and they ate that as well.

"Hey mom, do I look skinnier?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, looks like you lost a couple of lb's," Pam replied, taking a bite of the spaghetti taco Spencer whipped up.

"A couple? That's an understatement, I mean look at her b-" Freddie was cut off with Sam pinching his arm.

"You know what Freddie, it's like I'm the only one who lost a gazillion pounds," Sam said. "You are as skinny as a twig!"

"Ehh, I'll go work out one day and be buff," Freddie replied, taking another bite of ham and taco.

"Mmm, Spencer, you gotta give me the recipe for this spaghetti tacos, they're incredible!" Pam exclaimed.

"Mom, it's as easy as it gets! You put spaghetti in a taco shell," Sam said.

"Oh, right," Pam said.

"Well, do you want the recipe for my spaghetti?" Spencer asked.

"That be nice," Pam said.

"So, we gonna visit Carly today?" Sam asked.

"Sure, why the heck not," Freddie said.

"What time?"

"Anytime."

"Alright, we'll go at 4."

They spent the rest of the afternoon, goofing around in Spencer's apartment, renergized with rays of hope.


	25. Apologize

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 25: Apologize**

_They spent the rest of the afternoon, goofing around in Spencer's apartment, renergized with rays of hope._

* * *

Carly packed up her stuff. She looked at the clock. It was ten in the morning.

"C'mon Carly, Spencer's here," Nurse Sam said from the door.

"I'll be there in a minute," Carly said.

"Don't take too long," Nurse Sam said. She walked away. Carly closed her door slightly.

She walked over to her side table and picked up the card that was sent to her by her fans. She smiled. She put it inside her back pack, along with the flowers.

Carly walked to the window and was provided a beautiful view of Seattle. The sun was up, the sky was blue, people were smiling. Carly smiled as a tear escaped her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered out loud. "If there is a God out there, thank you for giving me a second chance. I was blinded by my own selfish desires. I now realize that I can live without Sam and Freddie. It's tough, not impossible. I apologize for my wrongdoings and please bless all those kind-hearted people who helped me to my recovery. Amen."

Carly wiped her eyes and leaned her head on the window. She let them flow. Then, she looked up. She was about ten stories up from the ground. The people looked like ants. She smiled. Then her smile disappeared.

"I don't deserve this second chance," she said. She opened the window and lets the cool morning breeze dry the tears on her face. Carly was about to stick her body out of the window, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turns around.

"Carly," Spencer said, worried. "What's this about?"

Carly looked at him. Then she smiled. "Did you think I was gonna jump out?"

"Were you?"

"Of course not! I was just feeling the breeze," Carly replied. It was the truth. She stuck her whole upper torso out the window.

"I don't deserve this second chance," Carly said.

"Carly, I told you-"

"But I'll gladly take it," Carly interrupted.

Spencer smiled. "C'mon kiddo, Sam and Freddie are waiting."

"Just a sec," Carly said, ridding her face of tears. She went back in and closed the window.

They made their way out to the exit. Carly said goodbye to Nurse Sam, with a humungous hug, and left for home.

* * *

"Home sweet home," Carly said as she plopped down on her sofa. Sam and Freddie joined her.

"Tell me about it," Sam and Freddie said.

"So how's school been for you guys?" Carly asked.

Sam and Freddie fidgeted a little. They weren't supposed to tell Carly anything about the investigations happening in the maze.

"Uhh, it's been nice," Sam blurted out.

"What she said," Freddie mumbled.

"So, you guys wanna make a video for the iCarly webside that says we're all back?" Carly suggested.

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Freddie exclaimed. "Last one there is suicidal!"

All of them ran upstairs and into the iCarly studio. Freddie got the camera ready and the girls fixed their appearance so they looked slightly appealing.

"In 5...4...3...2..."

"WE'RE BACK!" both the girls screamed.

"That's Carly!" Sam said.

"And that's Sam!" Carly said.

"And this is a quick short video of iCarly!" they both yelled. Sam pressed the button for applause in her blue remote.

"This is just stating," Carly said.

"That iCarly will return to regular program time," Sam finished.

"Thanks for your patience and support," Carly said.

"Until the next iCarly webisode."

"Keep dancing for the good news!"

"See ya!" both of them yelled.

Freddie turned the camera around to face him. "See you then," he said in a macho voice.

"That was great guys," Carly said. All of a sudden, she felt woozy and out of balance. She stumbled to walk.

"Carls, you okay?" Sam said as she caught Carly.

"Yeah, uhh...I just need to lie down for a while."

"Take it easy," Freddie said as Sam walked Carly to her room.

Carly plopped down to her bed. "You can go now Sam," Carly said.

"You sure you don't want me to stay?" Sam asked.

"I-I just need to be alone," Carly replied, sweating.

"Jeez Carls, you don't look so hot," Sam said.

"Just go!" Carly said a bit too forcefully.

Sam held her hands up in defense and left abruptly. She turned on her bed and fell asleep.

* * *

_Carly woke up in a dark place. It was an ominous and scary place. All of a sudden, she heard a rumbling from behind. She gasped as she turned around._

_"Who's there?" Carly yelled out. Her voice echoed eerily in the darkness._

"..." There was a deep, soft voice in the background, whispering and saying something.

_"WHO'S THERE?" Carly yelled._

_All of a sudden, a sudden rumbling crackled the ground. The ground split in half and Carly fell through. She screamed at the top of her lungs._

_All of a sudden, she noticed she was falling on the side of Bushwell Plaza at night._

_"No! Not this! No!" Carly cried. Then she saw some cyanide pills falling next to her. She screamed._

_"What the heck is going on?" Carly said._

_All of a sudden, she hit the ground, hard. The pain felt real. She let some tears escape._

_Then, Carly heard some music from a distance. She stood up and she was in a dark place again. Although she hasn't moved yet, the music sounded louder. It was a piano piece soothing to the ears. It made Carly feel better. The pain slowly subsided._

_She walked towards the music and not too far was a person playing the piano. Carly couldn't tell who it was because the person had their back on Carly._

_She walked towards the person and tapped his shoulder. The person turned around, only to find out that it wasn't a person._

_Carly screamed as loud as she could._

_Before she could react, the Minotaur had her head in its mouth._

* * *

Carly jolted up, screaming and sweating. She looked at her clock. It was nine in the morning. There was a tray of food beside her.

It took her a while to calm down. When she did, she took the food and ate it. She walked around her room. Then she noticed, built in to her dresser, was a piano. She sat down in front of it.

All of a sudden, her fingers moved by themselves. She was playing piano! And it actually sounded good! Carly couldn't believe what she was doing.

"Hey, I know that song," Spencer said. Carly turned around. "You play piano?"

"Apparently I do," Carly said.

"What's that song called?" Spencer asked.

"Apologize by OneRepublic?"

"That's the one! I like that song."

"Well, anyway, when did a piano get in my room?" Carly asked.

"I decided to buy it for you, you know, to keep you busy when Freddie and Sam aren't around," Spencer said.

"Better than trying to kill myself," Carly said, chuckling. Spencer doesn't laugh. "Sorry, too soon?"

Spencer nodded. "It's okay."

"So, what are ya up here for?" Carly asked.

"Oh, right, Freddie and Sam are downstairs," Spencer said.

"Why don't they just come up?"

"They didn't want to bother your rest, so I decided to check on you."

"Spencer, I feel fine, okay?" Carly said. "In fact, I feel better than fine." But she can't help and feel nervous about her nightmares.

"That's good. Let's go."

"Wait, let me take a quick shower and dress up," Carly said.

"Don't be too long," Spencer said as he walked out the door. "Sam and Freddie are in the studio!"

"Okay!"

* * *

Carly headed to the studio. Sam and Freddie were watching some Girly Cow.

"Wow guys," Carly said. "You're not fighting."

"We've gotten used to it the past couple of weeks," Sam said.

"Yeah," Freddie said.

"So why're we not downstairs?" Carly asked.

"I dunno, Spencer said he needed the time alone for a sculpture," Sam said.

"It'd better be a good sculpture," Freddie said.

Spencer entered the studio. "Hey guys, I made some sandwiches, if you wanna stuff your faces, feel free."

The gang headed downstairs. Once Carly turned the corner to head down another set of stairs-

"SURPRISE!" a group of people yelled. Carly jumped. Spencer smiled as he put his arm around Carly as she cried. Sam and Freddie instinctively got close as they hug each other.

"Oh my God!" Carly cried, covering her face. She looked around. It's everyone that she knows. There's Gibby, Principal Franklin, Wendy, Mrs. Benson, Agent S and Agent R, Nurse Sam, and Jerry.

"Alright, alright Carly," Spencer said while he rubbed her back. "It's okay, c'mon."

Carly turned to her big brother and hugged him. They both got a huge "Aww!" from the crowd.

"A party at nine in the morning?" Carly asked.

"Actually, it's four in the afternoon," Spencer said. "I rigged your clock."

Carly smiled and sucked up a bit of tears before speaking.

"What's this about?" Carly asked.

"Well, since you guys are back, I thought I'd throw you guys a party," Spencer said.

"iCarly is back!" Gibby yelled. The crowd cheered on. Carly wrapped her arms around her two amazing best friends. She let tears drop down her face. Sam couldn't even hold it in and she started crying too. Freddie couldn't stop smiling to save his life.

"I love you guys," Carly said.

"We love you too," Sam and Freddie said in unison. "Hey! Stop it! Ugh!"

Carly chuckled. "It's good to have you guys back."

Once the crowd settled down, Carly stepped forward. She sighed. She had something on her chest that she wanted to get off before the fun begins.

"Listen, guys!" Carly exclaimed. Everyone settled down. "Okay, good. Now, as you may have heard, Sam and Freddie were missing and I..." Carly paused a bit. "...I committed suicide, twice! I know, how could a girl like me commit suicide? Well, I lost hope. I lost hope that my best friends were alive and it ate away at me. I was pretty much dead anyway.

"But, as you can see, instead of a funeral, we're having a giant party! And now, I'm glad that I have survived my suicide attempts. And I'm also glad Sam and Freddie made it out alive in wherever they had to face. It must've been tough. I'm glad you guys didn't give up like I did.

"So I just want to say thank you to Sam and Freddie for saving my life. If they didn't have that drug, I would've been brain dead in minutes and my heart would've beating soon after that."

"I also want to apologize to my family, friends, teachers, and fans. I am so sorry of what I've put you through." Carly's tears intensified. Sam went to her and patted her back. "It was selfish of me. I was only thinking about myself. I can never live this down. I'm so sorry Spencer."

Spencer walked to his little sister and hugged her. Silence followed. When Carly pulled away, she continued speaking.

"But hopefully we can move on from this. Forget the sins of the past. Move on to the future. Can we do that?"

The whole crowd smiled. They nod their head in silence.

"Well, I'm glad. Thanks for giving me a second chance guys."

The crowd clapped and cheered. Carly, Spencer, Sam, and Freddie all got in a group hug. Soon, the crowd encircled the four friends and hugged them as well. Once they pulled away, Freddie climbed on top of the coffee table.

"Alright, why don't we get this party started!" Freddie yelled. The crowed cheered and somebody started to blast music. Carly went off and had a good time.

Sam laughed as Freddie stepped down from the table. They peck each other on the lips.

"You are so amazing," Sam said.

"Yeah, I know," Freddie said as he smiled.

"Yo Freddie!" some guys from the AV club come over.

"Hey guys!" Freddie exclaimed. He turned to Sam. "Date tomorrow night, okay?"

Sam smiled. "Got it." Freddie went off with his AV buddies.

Sam wandered around, talked to a bunch of people on the way to the island, where all the food was. Once Sam made it, she sighed. She took a red cup and filled it with punch.

"So you must be Sam," an Asian woman says. She looks like she's about in her forties, very pretty, long black hair. She had on some work clothes.

Normally, Sam would ignore her. But Sam had a feeling that she would like talking to this lady.

"That's me!" Sam exclaimed. "Do we know you?"

"Well, not personally," the Asian woman said. "I'm Carla, a reporter for the News Channel."

"Oh right, I've seen you before. Did Spencer invite you?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to stop by," Carla said. "See how you kids are doing."

"We're doing fine, thanks," Sam said.

"That's good," Carla said. Then, something caught her eye. She looked at Sam's ring finger.

"You like it?" Sam asked. Carla snapped out of it.

"Huh?" Carla asked.

"Do you like my ring?" Sam repeats. "I think it's pretty cool."

Carla looked around. Sam saw that her eyes widened.

"I gotta go," Carla said. She practically ran of the apartment. Sam shrugged.

Carly and Freddie appear out of nowhere.

"C'mon Sam, you're missing the fun!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Yeah, they got your favorite song coming up next, let's go dance!" Carly exclaimed.

Sam smiled. "Let's go!"

Carly, Sam, and Freddie mingled around the party. They talked to people, danced and laughed their butts off. Best of all, Carly was smiling.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! I was busy typing up the rest of the story. I'm planning to make this a thirty-chapter story, so five chapters left! The remaining chapters are pretty big and reveals every answer you guys have been looking for. Hope you guys enjoyed and please spread the word and review!**

**Keep on readin'!**


	26. Hidden in Plain Sight

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 26: Hidden in Plain Sight**

_Carly, Sam, and Freddie mingled around the party. They talked to people, danced and laughed their butts off. Best of all, Carly was smiling._

* * *

A couple of weeks after the party, Carly, Sam, and Freddie was finally back on track. They have homework to do, chores to whine about, and teenage peer pressure to worry about. Yet, Carly was the most calmest out of the iCarly gang. She seemed more relaxed, open-minded, talked to people she wouldn't normally talk to, and just basically enjoying life.

Sam and Freddie were doing great as well. Their relationship was still as strong as it was when they were in the tunnels. Freddie finally took Sam out on a real date. They haven't told Carly yet, but they will soon.

But not everything was going smoothly. Carly was still having night terrors, waking up at night, screaming. Then she would forget her dream. She these nightmares every other night or so. Carly couldn't sleep soundly. Spencer tried to help, but nothing has worked. She still keeps getting these night terrors.

All three teens are excited about tonight. They were gonna find answers to their questions from the agents. All three of them are curious to know what exactly Sam and Freddie had to go through.

They all met up in Carly's apartment. When Carly opened the door, their guardians were there: Spencer, Mrs. Benson, and Pam.

"Hey guys," Spencer greeted. "How was school?"

Freddie dug through the fridge, looking for ham. "Lame, as usual."

"Not bad," Sam said, sitting next to her mom.

Carly raised an eyebrow. Sam and Freddie have been acting weird lately. What happened to them? They've changed, they're not themselves anymore. Carly decided to find out what was going on between them.

"Guys, iCarly meeting upstairs," Carly said.

"Now?" Freddie whined, biting his ham.

"Yes now!" Carly exclaimed. "Spencer, just call us when the agents arrive."

"You got it," Spencer said.

Carly, Sam, and Freddie head upstairs and go into the iCarly studio. Carly sits down on one of the bean bag chairs and faced her two best friends who also sat down on bean bags.

"What's this about?" Sam asked.

"Not about iCarly," Carly said.

"Then what?" Freddie asked.

"You guys," Carly said.

"What about us? You know we're gonna find answers about the maze right when the agents arrive," Sam said.

"Yeah, I know. But I want answers about you guys." Sam and Freddie looked at each other. "What's going on between you guys? You guys are acting so weird lately."

"We've been acting weird?" Sam asked. She Kinda panicked. Carly was onto her and Freddie!

"Yeah."

"How have we been acting weird?" Sam asked.

"How long is this gonna take, 'cuz a whole ham is waiting for me downstairs," Freddie said. "Papa gotta have some ham."

Carly's eyes widened. "Oh my God! You're Sam!" Carly pointed at Freddie.

"What?" Freddie said, confused.

"And you're Freddie!" Carly exclaimed while she pointed at Sam.

"I don't follow you Carls," Sam said.

"You guys switched personalities!" Carly exclaimed. "Somehow, when you guys where in there in the maze, you switched personalities."

"Oh my God, you're right!" Sam exclaimed. She punched Freddie in the shoulder.

"Ow! Sam, must you always hurt me?" Freddie said.

"I can't be you Freddie!" Sam exclaimed. "I can barely date you!"

"Aww, I love you too Sam," Freddie said sarcastically.

Carly smiled. "You guys will be back in no time."

"Wait, Carly, we have else something to tell you," Sam said.

"What is it?"

Sam and Freddie looked at each other. "Never mind," Sam said. They both agreed. It didn't feel right yet.

"Okay," Carly said. "Now, a real iCarly meeting!" Freddie scoffed. "After I go tinkle."

"Take your time," Sam said. Once Carly was gone, Sam and Freddie started kissing.

Freddie pulls away. "I think we should've told Carly."

"Relax, Carly will know eventually," Sam said. They went in for another kiss. They kissed for about two more minutes, until they were interrupted.

"Oh my God!" Carly shouted as she entered the studio. Sam and Freddie pulled away, both are blushing.

"Carly-" Freddie was cut off.

"Wow! I can't believe what I just saw!" Carly exclaimed, sitting down on the bean bag chair. "I need details!"

Sam smiled. "Well, that's the thing we were gonna talk to you about."

"Carly, Sam and I are-"

"-goin out?" Carly exclaimed, interrupting Freddie.

They both nod.

"Oh my goodness, this is great!" Carly exclaimed while they hugged. "You guys have to tell me everything!"

"Guys!" Spencer exclaimed. "Agents are here."

"We will continue this later," Carly said, pointing at her friends. "Meanwhile, try not to swap spit, can you handle that?"

Sam blushed. "Carly, let's just go!"

"Alright, alright!"

The gang headed downstairs. Their guardians were still there, and now Agent S and Agent R were sitting on the sofa.

"Hey guys," Agent R greeted. They all nodded as they sat down on the stools. Carly sat next to Agent S on the couch.

"It's good to see that you guys are okay," Agent S said.

"Okay, so did you find any answers?" Freddie asked, eager to know.

"Yup, we've found many answers," Agent R said.

"Okay, let's start off with: what exactly were we in?" Sam asked.

"You and Freddie went through a Japanese soldier camp," Agent S said, pulling out some files and showing them some black and white photos of the maze. The maze looked in a lot better condition than it was when Sam and Freddie were down there.

"Whoa, cool," Freddie said.

"Considering you guys survived it, I guess that is pretty cool," Agent S said.

"This was built to train kamikazes in the war," Agent R said. "To maintain physical and mental strength, to keep persevering, and to develop a strong love for their country."

"Oh!" Sam and Freddie exclaimed. That's what the 'love' riddle was for.

"What?" Agent R asked.

"Nothing," Sam and Freddie said in unison.

"Okay, why was there mythical creatures there?" Sam asked.

"That Minotaur and giant alligator was crazy!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Minotaur?" Carly asked. Carly thought that it was pretty weird that they fought a Minotaur and she was having nightmares about a Minotaur.

"Yeah, head of a bull, body of a man," Sam said.

"I think I can explain that," Agent S said. She pulls out a piece of paper from a folder. "We sent a sample of the water from the fountains that were located in different parts of the tunnels."

"That's right, Sam and I used it for our water source," Freddie said.

"Well, this'll help explain why you saw mythical creatures," Agent S said.

Freddie took the paper and read it. "The water sources have been confirmed to have...to have traces of hallucinogens!"

"So there was really no Minotaur?" Sam asked.

"Nope," Agent S said. Carly breathed a sigh of relief.

"But that doesn't make any sense, how do you explain the roars of the Minotaur and the alligator?" Sam asked.

"The structure of that maze was crumbling," Agent R said. "It was falling apart. I'm guessing you mistook the sounds of crumbling rock as roars."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Freddie said. "And for the alligator, we could've just mistaken the sound of a car rolling by."

"Oh, that makes sense," Sam said.

"Wait a minute," Freddie says. "That doesn't make any sense."

"What doesn't?" Agent R asked.

"On the very last stone door, on the door, there was a riddle-"

"There was no riddle on the last door," Agent R said. "See look."

He showed Freddie a picture of the last stone door. There was nothing on it, just a hand print.

"That could be the hallucinogens working," Agent S said.

"Huh," Freddie said. "So why is the maze connected to the sewers?"

"Apparently, there were Japanese workers who were paid off by the descendants of the people who made the tunnels to keep it out of sight," Agent R said.

"Why not just destroy it?" Carly asked. "I think that would've been safer for everyone."

"We don't know," Agent R said.

"Wow, this is so crazy," Spencer said.

"I can't believe Freddie had to go through that!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed.

"I always knew Sam could be in an army," Pam said.

"So what about the Quick-a-Heal?" Sam asked. "What the heck is in that stuff?"

"We sent it to the lab," Agent R said. "And we came up with results that didn't make any sense."

"How so?" Carly asked. She was curious about the drug that saved her.

"Well, there are compounds in the Quick-a-Heal that don't ever, and can't ever bond naturally or forced by man," Agent R said. "There's hydrogen and potassium bonds, oxygen and krypton bonds, helium and iron bonds and a lot more impossible bonds."

"These chemical bonds stay together within your body as you try and digest them," Agent S said. "Apparently, it reacts with your body's metabolism and it speeds it up-"

"-causing rapid healing!" Freddie exclaimed.

"You sure are quite smart," Agent R said.

"That's my boy!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed.

"Okay, wait a second, back to the maze, why did Jet die and Sam and Freddie survive?" Spencer asked.

"The Japanese sent soldiers with partners," Agent S said. "As a self-defense mechanism to prevent the enemies from going into the maze, the maze killed you if you were by yourself."

"Wow," Freddie said. "Rest in peace Mr. Pogi."

"So how did doggy-Jet get in the maze?" Sam asked.

"We took a blood sample from him," Agent R said. "Apparently, he's nearly in his seventies. In man years."

"No way!" Sam exclaimed.

"So he's been in the maze since it was built," Agent R said.

"How can he live this long?" Freddie asked.

"His blood is thick with Quick-a-Heal," Agent R said. "He's probably been drinking from a water source that contains Quick-a-Heal."

"So Quick-a-Heal doesn't just heal you, it extends your lifespan as well?" Pam asked.

"Precisely," Agent R said. "Which is why Quick-a-Heal is being kept a secret for now."

"Don't tell anyone!" Agent S exclaimed.

"So wait," Sam said. "I punched the Minotaur. If there was no Minotaur, oh no! I punched Jet!"

"I'm sure he'll forgive you," Freddie said.

"So, what exactly was that multicolored light we keep seeing?" Freddie asked.

"Just what you saw, it's just light," Agent R said.

"Okay, why is the alley dark all the time then?" Sam asked.

"The maze has many self-defense mechanisms," Agent R said. "The darkness helped conceal the trap door from invaders and civilians."

"Hidden in plain sight," Freddie said.

"And one more interesting fact," Agent S said. "The soldiers were given rings before they went into the maze. Apparently, the rings are the key to opening doors, finding your way when you're lost, all that kind of stuff." Then she pulled out the picture of Jet and her wife.

"See Jet's ring?" Agent R asked. "We believe that this is one of the rings."

Sam pulled out Jet's ring. "So this ring saved our lives?"

"We believe so," Agent R said. "The rings were advanced beyond their time, sending radio waves to open doors and other stuff I've mentioned before. It can also receive radio waves."

Sam flashed back to the time when they were underwater and the ring kept getting hotter the closer they got. She smiled. It made sense.

"Wait a second," Carly and Sam said in unison. They look at each other.

"You go first," Sam said.

"Look at the Mrs. Pogi's ring," Carly said. "I've seen that before! I just can't put my finger on it."

"You've seen this blue ring?" Agent S asked.

"I got it!" Carly exclaimed. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and went through her photos. She finds the blue ring with the green kanji inside of it.

"Where'd you take that picture?" Agent S asked.

"From some old man named Jerry," Carly said.

"Jerry had Mrs. Pogi's ring?" Spencer asked. "That's weird."

"Hey guys," Sam said as she looked at the picture.

"Yeah Sam?" Agent R asked.

"I've seen Mrs. Pogi before," Sam said.

"What? You have?" Agent R asked.

"More importantly, when?" Agent S said.

Sam looked up from the photo. "Her first name is Carla, isn't it?"

"You have seen her before!" Agent S exclaimed.

"Not just seen, met," Sam said.

"When did you meet her?" Agent R asked firmly.

"At the party we had two weeks ago," Sam said. "You guys have seen her too."

"We have?" Agent S asked.

"She's the news anchor," Sam said.

"Hidden in plain sight," Freddie said, chuckling.

"Oh my God!" Carly exclaimed. "I met Carla's father!"

"Jerry is Carla's father?" Spencer asked.

"Well, he talked to me about his son-in-law, who got lost in the alley a few years ago. He has to be talking about Jet!"

"Okay, this is all so much in one day," Mrs. Benson said. "First there's Minotaurs then there's Japanese soldiers. Pretty soon, you guys will be talking about Armageddon! I'm gonna take a break from this."

"Me too," Pam said. "I'm gonna go and take a wazz."

"Mrs. Benson is right," Agent R said. "We should take a break for now. We will come back soon, hopefully contact Jerry and Carla so we can figure everything out."

Both the agents stood up. They shook everyone's hands. The agent took the elevator down. Everyone sighed.

"So now we know everything," Carly said.

"It all makes sense now," Sam said.

"Hey Sam, we can be kamikaze pilots now!" Freddie exclaims, chuckling. Sam chuckled, hitting Freddie in the process.

"Don't make me laugh at stupid jokes like that," Sam said.

"Okay, I'm done!" Pam exclaimed. "Sam, let's take you home! Jet's been missing you."

Sam kissed Freddie. Spencer's mouth dropped. "See ya later guys!" Sam exclaimed as she and her mom left the apartments.

"You guys are going out?" Spencer asked.

"Trust me, I don't approve of it," Mrs. Benson said.

"I think you guys are cute together," Carly said.

"Let's just go home Mom," Freddie said. "I'm tired."

"Okay, I'll start making dinner," Mrs. Benson said.

"Later Freddie!" Carly exclaimed.

"Bye guys," Freddie said. They closed the door.

"Wow!" Spencer said. "Sam and Freddie. I never thought I'd live to see the day."

"I never thought that there would be a day," Carly said. Spencer laughed.

"So, ya hungry?" Spencer asked as he went into the kitchen.

"Yeah," Carly said.

Carly turned on the TV, content with many answers she got from the agents. She hoped that Carla Pogi gets the answers she deserves.

But there's still anxiety within Carly. Why does she keep having nightmares about a Minotaur?

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed! I'm almost done with the story and bigger things are gonna happen soon. Please spread the word about my story and review! Thanks guys!**

**Keep on readin'!**


	27. Pain

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 27: Pain**

_Carly turned on the TV, content with many answers she got from the agents. She hoped that Carla Pogi gets the answers she deserves._

_But there's still anxiety within Carly. Why does she keep having nightmares about a Minotaur?_

* * *

It has been a few weeks since the agents visited. Sam and Freddie were still dating, and both were alive and well, so that was a good sign. Their personalities switched back very slowly, so slow that Carly thought that they would never change back. But they did, and Carly was glad about it.

People at school didn't expect to see Sam and Freddie to be dating. They always saw the two fighting, and it's weird now that they're dating. The funny thing is, they caused less noise and they didn't fight as much when they were dating. Carly kinda liked it.

Speaking of Carly, she has not been well. She cannot get a good night's rest because she was afraid of her nightmares, when she did fall asleep, she would wake up only fifteen minutes later, screaming and sweating. Carly doesn't know why she's having these nightmares. She was kind of startled to have found out that Sam and Freddie hallucinated a Minotaur. And her nightmares are filled with a Minotaur eating her. Is it just a coincidence?

"Carly!" Mrs. Briggs exclaimed. "What is the answer?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear your question," Carly said. She had been daydreaming, looking out the window.

"Well, next time, pay attention!" Mrs. Briggs exclaimed.

"Sorry Mrs. Briggs," Carly said.

"Psst! Carls!" Sam exclaimed, who was sitting next to Carly. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Carly said with a fake reassuring smile.

"Stop smiling, you're creeping me out," Sam said.

Carly looked out the window again. She couldn't wait to get out of school and go to her piano. Apparently, she's very gifted. She plays by ear. She can listen to a song once, and then figure it out for herself. Sam and Freddie were amazed at Carly's newfound talent.

Sam looked away from Carly, wondering if she was really okay. Her creepy smile looked like it. But she wondered...

Sam's mind wandered around, ignoring Mrs. Briggs annoying voice. She looked down at her fingers. Her eye caught her ring. Jet's ring. She wondered when the agents would stop by with Carla and her father. It's been weeks. Sam is dying of anticipation.

Once the bell rang, everyone quickly shuffled out the classroom.

* * *

"We're home!" Carly exclaimed.

Spencer came running out his room. "Oh look, Sam and Freddie! Haven't seen you guys in a long time!" Sam and Freddie chuckled.

"It's kinda like I live here now," Sam said.

"Sam, are you taking care of Jet?" Freddie asked. "That poor dog must be almost dead!"

"Shut up Freddie," Sam said. "The only way Jet dies is because his blood runs out of Quick-a-Heal. And so far, he's still alive and well."

All of a sudden, the elevator door opened. Spencer looked at who it was. It was Agent S and R, with an Asian woman. Spencer decided that she was Jet's wife, Carla.

"Ah, good of you to visit," Spencer said.

"Sorry we took so long," Agent R said. "We tried to find Jerry, but he's not home."

"What?" Carly asked.

"Yeah, his apartment's empty," Agent S said. "We tried to track him down, no good. He left his stuff though. His neighbors say he's been gone for nearly a month now."

"Huh," Carly said. "Where would he go?"

"We don't know," Agent S said. "We've even asked Carla, which is confirmed that they are related as father and daughter, she doesn't know.

"Speaking of Carla, here she is," Agent R said. "Guys, meet Jet's wife, Carla Pogi."

"Hey guys," Carla said.

"We're so sorry for your loss," Spencer said. "It must be hard for you to lose someone you love dearly."

"I've managed the pain in the last few years," Carla said. Sam's eyes narrowed. That didn't sound genuine. Something was off with Carla and Sam couldn't put her finger on it.

"So, I'm guessing you want answers," Carly said.

"Not really," Carla said. Carly was surprised. So was everyone else.

"I would've thought you wanted to know some answers," Freddie said. "To have some closure."

"I've had closure years ago," Carla said. Sam noticed that Carla was moving her fingers on her thigh, as if she's anxious. Sam took a closer look at Carla.

"So, do you want Jet's ring back?" Sam asked as she took off the ring. Sam looked at Carla closely.

Carla blinked at the ring. "Yeah, sure." Carla took Sam's ring. "Well, I should get going."

"Alright," Carly said. "Take care."

Sam's eyes widened. "Wait!" Carla and the agents turned around. "She isn't Carla Pogi!"

* * *

_**Two weeks ago**_

"How're you doing Jane?" Jerry asked.

"I'm...good," Jane said, sipping her tea.

"You paused," Jerry said.

"Well dad, what am I supposed to say, I'm great?" Jane said. "I'm fantastic?"

"I want you to tell me the truth," Jerry said, taking a bite out of a cookie that was set on the table.

Jane sighed. "Everything's not fine."

"I knew it."

"Then why's you force me to say it?"

"I wanted to hear it from you."

"Well, it's been kinda tough," Jane said. "The divorce has drained me of savings and I'm struggling to keep this apartment and taking care of Kana isn't making it easier."

"How is she?" Jerry asked.

"She's okay," Jane said. "She's taking the divorce very well. I didn't know she was this strong."

"Sometimes children are stronger than adults," Jerry said.

"Sure is true," Jane said.

"So how old is she now?" Jerry asked.

"She's five," Jane said. "She can't wait to start school!"

Jerry laughed. "Kana's gonna be a smart girl when she grows up."

"I certainly do hope so," Jane said.

There was a small silence. Jerry decides to break it. He pulled out a check from his pocket and handed it to Jane.

"This should help you get on your feet," Jerry said.

Jane looked at the check. She choked on her tea. "Are you crazy? No, I'm not taking this money."

"Jane, nurses make a lot of money," Jerry said. "And if a nurse is having trouble financially, then something is really wrong. That'll help you for the next month. You'll get the income flowing in no time."

"I will pay you back," Jane said.

"No, keep the money," Jerry said. "Put the rest of the money that's left over in Kana's college fund."

Carla smiled. "Thanks dad."

"I know it's been tough, I just wanted to help out," Jerry said.

"So what's the catch?" Jane asked, setting her tea mug down on the table and crossing her arms.

"There's no catch."

"There's always a catch."

Jerry sighed. "Come back to Seattle."

Jane's eyes widened. "No! Absolutely not!"

"At least visit!" Jerry exclaimed.

"No!" Jane shouted. Jerry was taken by surprise. "I am not going back to...God, I can't even say the name of the city!"

"Jane, calm down," Jerry said quietly. He gestured his head to the living room. Jane looked and saw Kana standing by the door way, looking into the kitchen curiously.

"Hey, hey Kana!" Jane said as she walked over to her and picked her up. "I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Kana nodded. "I'm so sorry dear."

Kana pointed at Jerry. "Grandpa?"

"Don't worry about grandpa, he's okay," Jane said, bouncing up and down. "Just go to sleep baby."

"Night mommy," Kana said. She rested her head on Jane's shoulder. She fell fast asleep.

When Jane came back from Kana's room, Jerry was nowhere to be found. Jane looked everywhere for him. He was totally gone. Jane sighed as she sat down on her seat.

Jane looked down at the kitchen table and saw a folded piece of paper next to the check. Jane opened it up. Two plane tickets fell out. She looked at them.

A one-way flight to Seattle, Washington.

Jane frowned. Why would he still give her tickets even though she said no? Jane picked up the piece of paper. She walked over to her fire escape that overlooked Manhattan.

"Come back to Seattle," Jane read. "It is the only way to get closure, and your sister and I miss you. I know it's hard, I know the pain is too much, but be strong like Kana. And plus, don't you want to find out what really happened to Jet?"

* * *

_**Two weeks later**_

"What do you mean she's not Carla?" Carly asked. "She looks exactly like the lady in the picture."

"Yeah, she looks like Carla, doesn't mean she is," Sam said.

"How are you sure she isn't Carla?" Agent R asked. The woman who they called Carla just stood there, sweating bullets.

"Take out the photos you have of Carla," Sam said. Agent S took out a folder from her bag and handed it to Sam. She quickly rummaged through the photos. Then, she found what she was looking for.

"Sam, what's this about?" Freddie asked.

"Look at this picture," Sam said. The picture was a close-up of Carla and Jet. Jet was on the right side of the picture, smiling, while Carla was on the left, facing Jet completely, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, that looks exactly like the woman that's standing right here," Spencer said.

"Nope," Sam said. She pointed at Carla's cheek. "Look right there. There's a mole. Look at this lady's right cheek, there's no mole." Everybody looked at the woman. "Unless if she got surgery, that isn't Carla."

Agent R sighed. "You kids should be detectives yourselves."

Agent S grabbed the woman and handcuffed her. "We're taking you downtown. You could be charged with fraud."

The woman dropped the ring and Sam retrieved it. Sam stood up and smiled. She knew something was off about this woman.

"I knew it was too good to be true," Sam said.

Agent S led the woman to the elevator. As the doors closed, Sam looked at the woman. She just hung her head, looking at nothing but the ground.

Agent R sighed. "Looks like I have to start from scratch."

"It's okay," Carly said. "I'm sure she'll pop out eventually."

"I wish it was that easy," Agent R said. "Well, I better go help Agent S. 'Till next time."

"Bye," Carly said.

"That was a complete waste of time," Freddie said. "Why would she pretend to be Carla anyway?"

A lightbulb lit up above Sam's head. "Because she's hiding something."

* * *

_**One week ago**_

Jerry was in his kitchen, making tea. He learned the perfect recipe for green tea from his beloved wife, who sadly, has passed away. Jerry poured some hot water into a teapot, mixed the tea bag in, and poured himself a cup.

Jerry, tea in hand, walked over to the living room. He took a seat on his sofa. He looked over to his left and saw a portrait of him and his wife. He took it and looked at it, sipping his hot tea. Jerry smiled. His wife reminded him so much of his daughters. She was sweet, beautiful, kind, and Japanese. Jerry was the only white guy in his family.

Jerry laughed. "I've always had a thing for Asian women."

All of a sudden, there was a knock on his front door. Jerry set the portrait down, along with his tea. He stood up and walked over to the front door.

Jerry peeped through the peep hole. He grinned. He quickly unlocked the door and opened it.

"Grandpa!" Kana exclaimed, jumping on Jerry. Jerry laughed as he carried his granddaughter.

"Oh! How's my sweet little girl, eh?"

"I'm great grandpa!" Kana exclaimed.

Jerry looked over to Jane. "How about my other little girl?"

"Geez dad, I'm forty years old," Jane said as she stepped into the apartment with her luggage.

"I don't care how old you are, you're still my baby," Jerry said, smiling.

"So," Jane said.

"You came back to Seattle!" Jerry exclaimed.

"We're in Seattle?" Kana asked.

"Yes Kana, this is where the Space Needle lives," Jerry said.

"Kana, why don't you go in the living room and watch some cartoons," Jane said.

"But I wanna watch iCarly!" Kana exclaimed.

"Kana, I'm sorry, I already told you, but they're done doing iCarly," Jane said.

"No they're not," Jerry said. "They started again a couple weeks ago."

"Oh, I didn't know," Jane said.

"Hey Kana, my laptop is in the kitchen," Jerry said, setting Kana down. "I think you know what to do."

"iCarly!" Kana screamed as she ran into the kitchen. Jane smiled slightly.

"Please sit," Jerry said, leading Jane into the living room. They both sat down on the couch. Jerry took his mug and sipped it. "Would you like some tea?"

"No, I'm good," Jane said.

"So, why did you come to Seattle?" Jerry asked.

Jane chuckled. "To be honest, I don't know. I'm beginning to think that this was a bad idea. I'm barely able to hold it together." A tear escaped Jane's eyes.

"I think I know," Jerry said. "You want to know what happened to Jet."

"Okay, I guess," Jane said, unsure what she really wants. "So what really happened to Jet?"

Jerry sighed. Jane is having second thoughts. Maybe she doesn't want to find out what happened to Jet. She braced herself as Jerry opened his mouth.

"I don't know," Jerry said.

Jane sighed. "Then why did you say you knew what happened to Jet?"

"I didn't say that, I only said that you wanted to find out what happened to him!"

"Damn it Dad!" Jane exclaimed. "I could be in New York working extra hours for the money I need! You just wasted my time!"

"Hey, I did not waste your time!" Jerry exclaimed. "I know how you can find out."

"How?" Jane asked.

"Let me ask you first: do you know why iCarly was temporarily canceled?" Jerry asked.

"Uhh, someone got sick?"

"No, the blonde girl and the boy-"

"-Sam and Freddie," Jane said. Jerry frowned. "What? The show's pretty good!"

"Anyway, those two got lost," Jerry said.

"Where did they..." Jane trailed off.

"You know exactly where they got lost," Jerry said.

Jane's eyes widened. She looked back at the kitchen, where she can see Kana, watching iCarly. Sam and Freddie were on the screen.

"The...alley?" she asked quietly. Jerry nodded.

"Somehow, they survived," Jerry said. "Now if you want answers, you have to visit them yourself. Go to Bushwell Plaza-"

"You've got to be kidding me," Jane said, covering her face.

"-and ask for Spencer Shay."

Jane looked at her dad, tears escaping her eyes. "I can't."

"You can," Jerry said.

"Just send Carla to do it!" Jane exclaimed, wiping her eyes. "Where is Carla?"

Jerry took the remote control and turned on the TV.

"...back to you Carla," a reporter said. Then it switched to Carla.

"Thank you Tom," she said. "In local news, the Internet sensation, iCarly, has faced many issues lately. But they got the band back together, and for their return, they made a special movie about what really happened."

"You guys don't talk, huh?" Jane said.

Jerry sighed. "I was about to, when she left the party."

"Party?"

"For the iCarly gang."

Jane sighed. "Why am I doing this to myself?"

Jerry put his hand on Jane's back. "You don't have to do it alone, you know."

Jane smiled. "Thanks, but no thanks. The pain hurts, but I think I can handle it."

Jerry smiled. "Good. Now, you wouldn't mind taking this back, would you?" Jerry pulled something out of his pocket and gave it to Jane. She took it.

"My ring," Jane said, her eyes watery. The rolled the blue and green ring around her fingers.

"It belongs to you," Jerry said. "I think it'll hurt less to wear it when you go talk to the iCarly people."

Jane wiped away her tears and nodded. "I'll go visit this Spencer guy later this week."

In the distance, they could hear Kana's laughter.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! A very big chapter for this story! I hope it has satisfied you guys! There are only three more chapters left and they are big! So please spread the word and review because it really does motivate me to keep on going. It helps to know that I have fans out there. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!**

**Keep on readin'!**


	28. Music Therapy

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 28: Music Therapy**

_Jane wiped away her tears and nodded. "I'll go visit this Spencer guy later this week."_

_In the distance, they could hear Kana's laughter._

* * *

_Carly walked down the street. All of a sudden, she saw the dark alley in front of her. Carly screamed and ran away as fast as she could. Carly looked back, and saw the Minotaur came out and started to chase Carly._

_"No!" Carly yelled. "Get away!"_

_She looked in front of her and saw that there was a door. She quickly entered it and closed the door._

_Carly leaned against the door, panting. She looked at the room she was in. It was all white and there was a piano in the middle of the room. Carly smiled._

_She sat down on the piano bench and started to freestyle, playing something that soothed her fear. But it wasn't enough._

_All of a sudden, her piano exploded in front of her. Carly screamed, protecting her face from the debris with her arms. When she peeked, the Minotaur was standing right in front of her, roaring._

_Carly was suddenly on the floor, trying to get away from the monster. Carly couldn't stop crying._

_"Go away!" Carly shrieked, tears pouring out her eyes._

_The Minotaur roared and lunged towards Carly._

* * *

"AAAAHHHHHH!" Carly yelled, sitting up on her bed. She was breathing deeply, sweating. It was just a nightmare. She looked at her clock. It was only two-forty-five in the morning. Sam, Freddie, and Spencer came bursting in.

"Carly, you alright?" Spencer asked, sitting on her bedside.

Carly sighed. "I'm fine, really, just a dream."

"Another Minotaur nightmare?" Freddie asked. Carly nodded.

"Do you want me to sleep in here?" Sam asked.

Carly frowned. "When did you guys get here?"

"Carly, you invited them to sleep over last night," Spencer said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just forgot," Carly said. "And I guess Sam could sleep on the couch."

"Okay," Spencer said, kissing Carly's forehead. "We'll see ya tomorrow."

"Good night Carly," Freddie said. Carly nodded.

Spencer and Freddie left, leaving Carly and Sam in Carly's bedroom. Sam lied down on the couch and hugged the pillow.

"Carls, I'm here for ya," Sam said, yawning. "Just close your eyes...and...go to...sleep." Sam fell asleep.

Carly sighed. She couldn't go back to sleep. She looked at her piano. She wanted to play so bad.

"Sam's a pretty heavy sleeper," Carly said. She got out of bed, put on her slippers, and sat down in front of her dresser. She lifted the piano cover up.

Carly rested her digits on the piano keys. It felt good to Carly, her fingers in between the black keys and the white keys. She sighed. She started playing.

Carly instantly felt better. She played all the songs she had learned so far. Then she just started improvising. Carly looked back often at Sam to see if she had woken up. She slept through everything.

Carly played 'till the sun rose. She jumped when her alarm went off. This caused Sam to groan.

"Carly! Turn off the alarm!"

"We have school today!" Carly exclaimed, hitting her alarm clock. "C'mon, let's get some breakfast."

"I want bacon," Sam said, standing up quickly. "Whoa, hehe, head rush."

Carly and Sam had breakfast together with Spencer. Freddie left for his apartment. They tried to talk about her night terrors, but Carly would avoid talking about it.

Carly went to school, yawning most of the day. She had a hard time keeping awake at the classes she would usually be alert. Freddie noticed it. He couldn't take it. His friend was having trouble and they couldn't find an answer.

During lunch, Freddie looked for Carly. She wasn't in the cafeteria, so he looked all around school. Freddie found her sitting on the stairs near their lockers. There were some guys around her. Freddie assumed they were just talking about dating stuff, but Freddie looked closely. Carly was crying. He decided to investigate.

Freddie stood in front of Carly's locker. This kept him out of sight while he could eavesdrop on their conversation.

"So," one of the guys said. "I'm still very curious Carly, why did you try to kill yourself?" Carly sobbed. Freddie's nostrils flared.

"Leave me alone!" Carly cried.

"No really, I'm curious, what did you do to try and kill yourself?" the same guy asked.

"Do you want to find out?" Freddie said, stepping out from his hiding spot. Carly looked up, her eyes wide open.

"Is that a challenge?" the guy said.

"Leave her alone," Freddie said. "She doesn't need anymore crap, especially from some stupid high school dumbasses."

All of a sudden, the guy threw a punch at Freddie. Freddie's eye exploded in pain as he was knocked back a few feet and to his knees.

"Freddie stop!" Carly cried.

Freddie breathed. His nostrils flared again. Then he jumped up. Freddie threw up his leg for a kick. It connected right on the cheek of the guy and it sent him flying. He landed on the ground, knocked out.

Freddie's eyes widened. Where the hell did that come from? The group of guys ran away, some of them helping their sleeping friend. Freddie looked at Carly. Her mouth was literally on the ground.

Freddie walked over as her covered his right eye. He sat next to Carly and sighed.

"Where in the world did you learn how to do that?" Carly asked.

"I'm guessing I still have some Quick-a-Heal in me," Freddie said.

Carly looked at Freddie. "Your eye..." Freddie removed his hand from his eye. It was all purple and the eyelids were halfway closed. Carly grimaced.

"That bad huh?" Freddie said.

"Could be worse right?" Carly said. Freddie smiled.

"So, are you okay?" Freddie asked.

"I am now, thanks to you," Carly said. Freddie blushed. Carly grabbed Freddie's arm and hugged it as she rested her on his shoulder. "You didn't have to do that you know."

Freddie lifted his arm and put it around Carly. "Yeah, I know. But I wanted to do it. Your my best friend Carly."

Carly smiled and let some tears out. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Freddie said. "So, can we talk about your dreams?"

"Do we have to?" Carly asked, retreating.

"I wanna help, but you're not letting us," Freddie said. "C'mon, let me help, and if I'm bad, you can slap me in the face."

Carly sighed. "Fine. I've been always dreaming about a Minotaur somehow killing me or eating me. It's not always the same, but it's always scary."

Freddie thought about it for a while. "Why don't you do something relaxing before you go to bed? Put your mind at ease. Maybe that could help."

"I like playing the piano," Carly said. "But I've tried that already, and trust me, it does not work."

"Okay, how about praying?"

"Is it weird for me to say that I've tried it?" Carly asked.

"No, why would it be?" Freddie asked.

"I don't want you to think that I'm religious and all that."

"I don't think that. So how did God do?"

"Not well."

"How about a glass of warm milk before bed?"

"That's for going to sleep, not getting rid of nightmares!" Carly exclaimed.

"Oh, well what about not drinking anything two hours before bed?" Freddie said, smiling.

Carly slapped Freddie on the good side of his face.

"Ow!" Freddie exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"You said I could slap you if you were bad," Carly said. "And you were." Fredie sighed. Carly smiled and hugged his arm again, resting her head on his shoulder. "But thanks for the effort." Freddie smiled.

"So, whatcha guys cuddling for?" Sam asked, coming out of nowhere. "And what happened to your eye?"

"Some bullies were making fun of how Carly tried to commit-" Freddie stopped abruptly. He looked at Carly.

She sighed. "It's okay, you can say suicide."

"-sui-"

"I got it," Sam said, sitting down next to Freddie. "So, what, did they beat you up?"

"The guy punched me," Freddie said.

"And then Freddie kicked the guy on the head!" Carly exclaimed.

"No way!" Sam exclaimed. "You did not!"

Freddie smiled. "I did."

"The guy was knocked out, you should've seen it!" Carly said.

"Wow," Sam said, looking at Freddie. She smiled. "I never knew you had it in you."

"Well...I do my best," Freddie said.

"Hey Sam, do you mind if I kiss Freddie on the cheek?" Carly asked.

"I'm punching you if you do."

Carly kissed Freddie on the cheek. Sam punched Carly on the shoulder.

"Ow!" Carly exclaimed, grabbing her shoulder.

"I warned you," Sam said.

"You didn't have to do that," Freddie said.

"Yeah I know, but I wanted to do it," Carly said. Freddie chuckled.

"So, are you gonna be okay with that black eye?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Freddie said, putting his arms around Carly and Sam. "As long as I got my two favorite girls, I'll be fine." Carly and Sam blushed.

All of a sudden, the bell rang. Students filed into the hallway, going to their lockers. Carly said a quick farewell to Sam and Freddie, and she left for class. Sam and Freddie stayed a while longer.

"So did that guy really get knocked out?" Sam asked, excited.

"Yeah, he went straight to sleep," Freddie said, boasting a bit.

"You look so hot with that black eye," Sam said. Freddie chuckled. "Come over here!" They leaned in and kissed.

"Hey, let's go out," Freddie said.

"I get to pick!" Sam exclaimed. Freddie nodded. "That fancy restaurant near the car dealership."

"I didn't think that was your kind of a place."

"It isn't, but I hear they have some rockin' chicken wrapped in bacon!"

Freddie chuckled. "This Saturday."

"It's a date!"

* * *

_**Two days ago**_

"Are you ready?" Jerry asked.

"Yes," Jane said, walking out of the guest room. She was dressed in some black sweats with a sweatshirt hoodie on. She put the hoodie on.

"You can do this by yourself?" Jerry asked.

"I need you to stay and watch Kana for me," Jane said.

Jerry nodded. "Very well. I'll see you in an hour."

Jane walked out of the apartment. She called for a cab and got in.

"Where to?" the cab driver asked.

"Bushwell Plaza," Jane said.

Jane looked out the window. So many familiar sights. It was becoming very hard for Jane to keep from crying. She was surprised she was still able to keep this composed.

Jane saw the Groovy Smoothies sign. Then she had a flashback.

* * *

_"So, where do you want to eat?" Jet asked._

_"Jet, I don't know Seattle, you choose," I said in a semi-whining tone._

_"Alright, but don't hate me if the place is bad," Jet said. He looked at his map. "Hey, there's a smoothie place nearby. It's called the Groovy Smoothies. Wanna try?"_

_"Sure, I guess," I said. Jet grabbed my hand._

_"Hey, I know Seattle's kinda new, but you'll start to love it soon, just give yourself some time, okay?"_

_I gave him a fake smile. "Okay."_

_Jet smiled and flipped his hair. "Now let's go!"_

_We rode a cab to Groovy Smoothies because it was raining-again! Grr! Seriously, I am not loving Seattle right now. It's always raining, which always puts me in a bad mood. I couldn't believe Jet was having fun in this city._

_We entered the smoothie place. My nose instantly filled with the smell of fruit smoothies, burgers, and French fries. We went in line._

_"So, what do you want?" Jet asked._

_"Surprise me," I said._

_Jet sighed. "Okay, but don't you get mad at me for getting you something you don't like!"_

_After a few minutes of waiting in line, I decided to go sit down on a table. I looked around the restaurant. It was nice, colorful, full of life. I small smile appeared on my face. I kinda like the ambiance._

_All of a sudden, Jet slammed a tray on the table in front of my face. I jumped a little._

_"I got you a burger with a side of fries and a Strawberry Splat smoothie," Jet said, smiling. I looked out the window. Lightning slashed through the sky, then thunder rumbled afterward._

_"Really Jet, a smoothie on a whether like this?" I asked._

_"Hey, I told you not to get mad at me for choosing a place you don't like!" Jet exclaimed, biting his burger._

_I sighed. Since we're here, might as well eat the food. I take a sip of the smoothie. I involuntarily smile. It was really good._

_"Whoa, was that a smile I saw?" Jet asked. I removed the smile immediately off my face. "Here, let me flip my hair, maybe it'll make you laugh." He flipped his hair._

_I couldn't hold it in. I started chuckling. "Stop it Jet! God..."_

_Jet laughed. "You're laughing and smiling! That's the best thing in the world!"_

_Jet sure does know how to make me smile._

* * *

"M'am, we're here," the cab driver said. Jane snapped back to reality. She looked out the window and they were in Bushwell Plaza. Jane gulped. She paid the driver and got out of the cab.

Jane walked in through the front door. She looked at the doorman. It was still Lewbert! Jane made sure her head was down with her hoodie on while she walked. All of a sudden, three people entered Bushwell. Jane panicked and sat down on the seats near the door and grabbed a magazine, pretending to read.

Two of them were wearing brown coats. One was a blonde woman, the other a brunette man. Jane couldn't see who the other one is, but she looked like she was wearing a uniform and her black hair flowed down her shoulders, kinda like Jane's hair. They went up to Lewbert.

"Hello Lewbert," the man said. "We need to go to Spencer's."

Jane's eyes widened.

"Arghh!" Lewbert yelled. "Is it important?"

"Yes!" the woman exclaimed. "We've got more information on Jet and we think we've found-"

"I don't care, just go!" Lewbert yelled.

All three headed for the elevator. Jane took a small peek at them.

"Are you ready Carla?" the man asked the black haired woman.

Jane's airways clogged up. The black haired woman turned around and stood in front of the two people with brown coats.

It was Carla.

"I'm ready."

Once the elevator door closed, Jane started running away.

* * *

_**Two days later**_

Carly played the piano smoothly. She sighed. She felt better already. It's like her troubles melted away, the music filling Carly's body with relaxation instead. When Carly got to the end of the song, somebody behind her clapped. She turned around.

"That was good," Freddie said, clapping. He sat down on the couch.

"What're you doing here?" Carly asked, sitting next to him.

"I can't visit my best friend?" Freddie asked.

"Good point. So how's your eye?"

"My mom freaked out about it when I go home today, but I told her I was fine."

"Are you really?"

"I'm pretty sure," Freddie said, feeling his eye.

"So, what's up?" Carly asked.

"So, I think I've found a way to get rid of your nightmares," Freddie said.

Carly's ears perked up. "Really?"

"Yeah," Freddie said, sitting up. "When Sam and I were down there in the maze, before we saw the Minotaur, there was a passage on the door."

"What did it say?" Carly asked.

"It told us not to be afraid," Freddie said. "Because things don't seem what they really are."

Carly sighed. "So what, do you just want me to punch the Minotaur in the face in my dreams?"

Freddie laughed. "Actually, that's how Sam got rid of the Minotaur, a punch in the face."

Carly chuckled. "There's Sam for ya, always brave."

"Actually, Sam was terrified," Freddie said.

The smile on Carly's face disappeared. "You mean Sam was actually afraid?"

"Yeah," Freddie said. "Don't tell her that I told you." Carly smiled. "But she learned to be brave. And I think you can do it too."

Carly smiled. "Thanks Freddie."

"No problem."

"Freddie!" Sam exclaimed, entering the room. "Let's go, we're gonna miss the movie!"

"Sorry," Freddie said, standing up. Sam and Freddie peck each other on the lips.

Sam looked at Freddie. "You know, you seem to spend a lot of time with Carly. Should I be worried?"

"Yes, Carly and I were just making out," Freddie said, smiling.

"That's not funny," Sam said, pointing.

"Relax, he was just helping me with my nightmare problem," Carly said.

"Alright, but I'm watching you Shay," Sam said.

Freddie smiled and waved. "Bye Carly!"

"Have fun on your date!" Carly exclaimed. Freddie shut the door behind him. Carly smiled and went back on the piano and started playing.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading guys! A pretty big chapter and two more chapters left! Please don't forget to review and please tell others how awesome my story is. :P**

**Keep on readin'!**


	29. Summer Lovin'

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 29: Summer Lovin'**

* * *

_Sam looked at Freddie. "You know, you seem to spend a lot of time with Carly. Should I be worried?"_

_"Yes, Carly and I were just making out," Freddie said, smiling._

_"That's not funny," Sam said, pointing._

_"Relax, he was just helping me with my nightmare problem," Carly said._

_"Alright, but I'm watching you Shay," Sam said._

_Freddie smiled and waved. "Bye Carly!"_

_"Have fun on your date!" Carly exclaimed. Freddie shut the door behind him. Carly smiled and went back on the piano and started playing._

* * *

_**One day ago**_

Jane sat on Jerry's couch with her hoodie on, hugging her knees. She was so confused. There's so many feelings that were overwhelming her that she didn't even know how to react. She has felt guilt, pain, fear, happiness, and sadness. She was in conflict with herself.

"Here you go," Jerry said, handing Jane a mug of hot tea. Jane shivered as she drank some of the tea. Even though it was summer, it was still pretty cold.

"God, I freaking hate Seattle!" Jane yelled as shivered even more.

"Shh," Jerry said. "I just put Kana to bed. We wouldn't want her to wake up again."

Jane sighed. "I know. I'm sorry." She put down her mug. "I'm just really confused."

"Well, let's straighten things out," Jerry said. "You saw two investigators and Carla yesterday, right?"

Jane nodded. "They were heading for Spencer Shay's apartment."

"Then why didn't you go?" Jerry asked. "That would've been the perfect time!"

"How?" Jane asked. "I can't just barge in with Carla there! And the investigators are gonna do what they do best, investigate! About me, about my life, and I don't want that to happen!"

"Well maybe it was time to let go of those fears!" Jerry exclaimed. "I'm begging you, let go of the fear and pain you are experiencing. Trust me, you will feel a lot better after talking to them!"

Jane cried. "I can't! I just can't!"

"Yes you can! I can be there for you. Kana can be there for you!"

"Kana will stay out of this," Jane said firmly.

"We're talking about her father," Jerry said. "She's getting older. It's only a matter of years before she starts asking about her dad. The question is, will you be able to answer her questions?"

Jane put her hands on her face and cried. Jerry sighed. He wrapped her in a hug. Jane cried on his shoulder.

"Mommy?" Kana said, walking towards her mom. "Are you okay?"

Jane pulled away from Jerry. She carried Kana and walked to their bedroom.

"Everything's fine dear," Jane said, wiping her eyes.

"Then why're you crying?" Kana asked, touching Jane's tear as it rolled down her cheek. Jane took Kana's hand and held it tightly.

"Everything's fine," Jane repeated.

"Is it about my real daddy?" Kana asked.

Jane couldn't hold it in. She cried harder. Kana hugged her mom's arm.

"You're too young to understand Kana," Jane said. "When you grow up, you'll know."

"It's okay mommy," Kana said. "Even if I don't have a daddy, at least I have an awesome mommy like you!"

Jane was forced to smile and let out a small chuckle. "Go to sleep dear. It's getting past your bedtime."

"Okay," Kana said, getting under the covers. "Good night mommy!"

"Good night," Jane said. She kissed Kana on the forehead.

"I love you!" Kana exclaimed.

Jane smiled. "I love you too." Then she exited the room.

"So, how is she?" Jerry asked.

"She's fine, she just heard me crying," Jane said. "In two days, we're going."

"Where?"

"To find out what happened to Kana's dad."

* * *

_**One day later**_

Sam and Freddie stood in line at the movie theaters. It was pretty crowded, since it was a Friday and it was the last day of school. Freddie stood quiet, waiting, while Sam chatted away. Sam noticed that Freddie was barely paying attention to her, so she punched him.

"Ow!" Freddie exclaimed. "Sam! What was that for?"

"You're not paying attention!" Sam exclaimed. "I don't have to stay here, I can just leave!"

"No!" Freddie exclaimed. Then he sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Carly."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Because she's not sleeping and she's getting bullied in school," Freddie said. "Those things have never happened to her before."

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Sam said. "Seriously, a few weeks ago, we have never been lost in an underground kamikaze training maze."

"I just hope she's okay," Freddie said.

"She's fine!" Sam exclaimed. "Carly's a tough girl."

Freddie bought the tickets and they went inside. Sam bought a large bucket of popcorn and they went to their movie. They were watching a movie about a girl who commits suicide because she lost her family, though she keeps surviving.

"Really, did we have to go watch this movie?" Freddie asked. "This kinda reminds me of Carly."

"Relax Fredward," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "I heard that this movie was really good. And I didn't even think about Carly."

They took their seat and watched the movie. It was a pretty long movie. Throughout the movie, Freddie saw a lot of things that Carly might've done when she was suicidal. This got Freddie thinking about Carly even more. There was even a scene when the main character was playing the piano. Freddie wondered if Carly could play that piece.

Sam and Freddie exited the movie theaters peacefully, without attracting any attention. This surprised Sam. She thought that people would be all over them, since they are Internet celebrities.

"Good movie," Sam said.

"Yeah," Freddie said. "I wonder if Carly can play that piano piece that the main character was playing."

Sam shrugged. "Maybe." Sam looked to her left. She saw an arcade. "Ooh! Look! Let's play the one where we get to shoot zombies!"

They went in. Freddie let Sam play by herself while Freddie walked around. Sam frowned. Freddie's been thinking about Carly too much lately and it's worrying her.

While walking around, Freddie found a claw machine. He looked at the stuffed toys available and saw a teddy bear. Freddie smiled. This might help Carly go to sleep at night.

Freddie inserted a quarter and started playing. He was really good at this game. He got the teddy bear in no time.

"Yes!" Freddie exclaimed. He took the bear. All of a sudden, Sam came running over to Freddie, smiling.

"Hey Freddie, I got the top score for Zombie Apocalypse!" Sam exclaimed.

"That's nice," Freddie said, looking at the teddy bear.

Sam's smile disappeared. She looked at the teddy bear. Her smile came back. Maybe Freddie got it for her! She always sucked at those claw machine games and always wanted a prize from it.

"Who's that for?" Sam asked, trying to contain her joy.

"It's for Carly," Freddie said. Sam's smile disappeared. Her eyes started to water. "You think she'll like it?"

"Go to hell," Sam said. She stalked away. Freddie frowned and went after her. He grabbed her shoulder. "Don't touch me!" she yelled, turning around.

"What's wrong with you Sam?" Freddie asked.

Sam didn't let tears go down her face, but a few drops managed to make their way down her cheeks. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You've been talking about Carly non-stop for the last month and I am sick of it! Why don't you just go out with her instead!"

"Sam, you gotta understand, Carly needs help-"

"I know she needs help!" Sam yelled. "But it doesn't mean I talk about her every single damn minute of the day!"

"I'm beginning to think who Carly's best friend really is!" Freddie shouted. Sam growled. "You haven't done a thing to help Carly get through with her nightmares. And me, I've done it all! So don't get mad at me for being a good friend!"

Sam couldn't help it. She let her tears go. "I knew it was a bad idea."

"What?"

"Going out with you!" Sam shouted. She ran off to the exit. Freddie sighed. He realized he was crying as well. He wiped his tears away. Then he looked around him. People were frozen in place looking at him. Freddie left the arcade and ate dinner alone.

* * *

Carly played her piano smoothly. She learned a new piece from the Internet and she's playing it like she knew it for years. She was pretty bummed that she doesn't know any of the chords or music theory that goes along with the piano. She didn't even know the letter names for the keys on the piano. She made a promise to herself to learn music theory by the end of summer.

When Carly finished her piece, there was a knock on her door.

"It's open!" Carly exclaimed.

Sam entered the room, dried mascara dripping down her face. She sat down on the couch. "Hey Carls."

"Hey Sa-whoa," Carly said as she spun around. She sat next to Sam. "Are you actually wearing make-up?"

"Yeah," Sam said. "The things you do for guys."

"You've been crying," Carly said. "What's wrong?"

Sam sighed. "Freddie and I got in a fight."

"Oh no," Carly said, comforting her friend. "Did you guys break up?"

"Yes...no...I don't know!" Sam exclaimed. "Freddie's just being a gigantic nub!"

"How?"

"We were on our date, right?" Sam said.

"Okay."

"I tried talking to him, you know, about normal stuff. But he kept changing the subject. He kept talking about you."

"Me?" Carly asked. "Why would he talk about me?"

"He's worried about you," Sam said. "He says that you need help and that no one else is helping you. He said that he's done it all."

Carly sighed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Save your breath, I know it's not your fault," Sam said. "I'm just annoyed with Fredwad."

"I'm sure you guys will figure it out," Carly said.

Sam sighed. There was a bit of a pause. Then Sam spoke up. "Hey Carls, do you think that I'm a bad friend?"

"What? No! Of course not!" Carly exclaimed. "You're my best friend, why would I think that?"

"Because I haven't been helping you with your nightmares," Sam said.

Carly sighed. "Freddie told you this?" Sam nodded. "Don't worry about what Freddie said. You are the bestest friend in the world. And you do help me with my nightmares. You make me laugh during the day, which helps me a lot to calm my nerves."

Sam smiled. "Thanks Carly."

"So, wanna sleep over?" Carly asked. "It's summer!"

Sam chuckled. "Sure."

* * *

As Freddie was eating his cold dinner, he couldn't help but think about Sam. It was killing him. But he knew he should just give her some space. If he tries to explain himself after they just had a fight, she just might get more agitated.

Freddie watched some TV and then went to bed. He was sorely disappointed. Summer hasn't got off to a great start so far.

The next morning, Freddie woke up. He slept in so when he checked the clock, it was already ten-thirty. Freddie got up from his bed and did his usual Saturday morning routine.

Before he left his apartment, something caught his eye. There was the teddy bear on his kitchen counter. Freddie grabbed it. He might as well give it to Carly.

Freddie entered the Shay's apartment. Carly and Sam were eating breakfast in the kitchen. Freddie cleared his throat.

Both the girls looked at him. Sam frowned. "I'm going upstairs."

"Are you still mad at me?" Freddie asked.

"Well if you couldn't take the hint, yes, I am still very mad at you," Sam said, heading up the stairs. Freddie sighed and sat next to Carly on the kitchen table.

"Where's Spencer?" Freddie asked.

"Taking a shower," Carly said. "So, word on the street is that you and Sam are fighting."

"Yeah, we are," Freddie said. "I thought a relationship with Sam would be easy, after all Sam and I have been through."

Carly sighed. "Nothing's ever easy Freddie."

"Yeah, I know," Freddie said.

"And thanks for caring about me so much," Carly said. "Though there is a time and place for everything."

"What do you mean?" Freddie asked.

"Let me give you some tips on dating Sam," Carly said. "First of all, on a date, don't talk about any other girl except the girl you're dating. And this applies to all girls you have and/or will go out with.

"Next thing; you do not decide how good of a friend Sam is to me. That's my job. And I think she's doing an excellent job. Heck, I managed to sleep an extra hour last night because just knowing Sam was there was good enough.

"And one more thing. You may have helped me with dealing with the nightmares, but you aren't the only one who has helped. Playing the piano helped me. Spencer helped me. Sam helped me. Don't flatter yourself. And one more thing-"

"I get it Carly," Freddie said. "I'm a terrible boyfriend."

"Nobody's perfect Freddie, don't be too hard on yourself," Carly said. "Now, I'm gonna get Sam. If she starts yelling at you, you say nothing back. Pay attention and once she's done, you speak."

"Wait," Freddie said. "I got this for you." He handed Carly the teddy bear.

"When?" Carly asked.

Freddie sighed. "During my date with Sam."

Carly's eyebrows raised. "This doesn't belong to me." She gave it back. "I'm gonna get Sam. You better behave."

Freddie nodded. He sat on the island. Carly headed upstairs. She came back with her blonde-headed friend. When Sam saw Freddie, Sam scoffed.

"You told me he went home!" Sam exclaimed.

"Well, if I didn't say that, you would've never come down here," Carly said.

"True," Sam said.

"Now, talk to him!"

"I don't know what to say!" Sam exclaimed.

"Just say what you feel," Carly said.

"Geez, cliché much?" Sam said.

"Just go!" Carly exclaimed.

"Fine!" Sam said. She went toward Freddie. She cleared her throat.

Freddie turned around. "Sam-"

"Ah-ah!" Sam said, holding up a finger. "I go first." Freddie nodded. Sam cleared her throat. "First of all, I gave my all to this relationship. I took risks in this relationship that could've ended badly. But I managed..."

"What's going on over here?" Spencer asked Carly, drying his hair off with a towel.

"Sam and Freddie are in a fight," Carly said. "I'm trying to get them to stop fighting."

"...you started talking about another girl!" Sam exclaimed. "Why the heck would a guy do that on a date?"

"Sam, let me expla-"

"No! I'm tired of explanations..."

"Well, you are definitely doing a good job," Spencer said sarcastically.

"Hey!" Carly exclaimed.

"I was worried about Carly!" Freddie exclaimed. "Can you not understand that?"

"Yes I understand that, I was worried about her too. But when you're on a date with me, the only girl you should be worrying about is me!"

"Well I'm sorry for not being perfect like you Puckett!" Freddie shouted.

"Argh! That is it! We are over!" Sam yelled.

Carly's eyes widened. "No! Nononono! I set you guys here to talk about your problems and solve them, not to break up over it!"

"Sam-"

"Shut up!" Sam exclaimed. "And I don't think I can go out with Freddie. I thought I could, I can't!"

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. Spencer answered the door.

"Sam, c'mon, that's not fair!" Freddie said.

"Try talking about your problems in your relationship again, please?" Carly said.

"You don't get it Carly! Freddie is the problem!" Sam shouted. "Know what, I'm going upstairs! I'm done with this."

"Uhh Sam," Spencer said.

"What?" Sam shouted, turning around.

"You might wanna stick around for this," Spencer said. He opened the door fully and it revealed an old white man carrying a small Asian girl. Next to him was an Asian woman with long black hair.

"Hi," the Asian woman said. "I'm Jet's wife."

"It's iCarly grandpa!"

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it took a bit too long to upload this chapter. I was actually working on the last chapter of this story. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!**

**Speaking of the next chapter, it will be split into two parts. If I don't do that, the amount of words will be almost 6,000. I figured that would be too much to read, but if enough people suggest that I should upload just one chapter. Nevertheless, I think you guys are really gonna enjoy 'em. So please review because it really does help me keep going and I need more people reading my story! Please help by spreading this story, I know I've said this a lot, it's probably getting annoying. Anyway, thank you for reading and I hoped you guys enjoyed!**

**Keep on readin'!**


	30. Rebirth Part One

**iAm Not Afraid**

**Chapter 30: Rebirth Part One**

* * *

_"Uhh Sam," Spencer said._

_"What?" Sam exclaimed, turning around._

_"You might wanna stick around for this," Spencer said. He opened the door fully and it revealed an old white man carrying a small Asian girl. Next to him was an Asian woman with long black hair._

_"Hi," the Asian woman said. "I'm Jet's wife."_

_"It's iCarly grandpa!"_

* * *

_**A few hours ago**_

"Psst! Jane! Wake up! Wake up!"

Jane's eyes opened slowly. Her vision was blurry at first, but it soon focused. Jerry was standing over her.

"Good morning!" Jerry exclaimed.

Jane sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's six in the morning," Jerry said. "I've got breakfast cooking."

Jane looked over to her left side. Kana was still fast asleep. Jane smiled. She looked so cute when she's asleep. Then she looked back at Jerry.

"I'll be right out," Jane said.

"Today's the big day!" Jerry exclaimed, heading out.

Jane sighed. It was a pretty big day. They were finally going to talk with the iCarly gang, see if they can find answers about Jet. Jane was nervous. She's hoping that news isn't too bad. She's just finally conquering her fears.

Jane and Jerry have breakfast. In the middle of breakfast, Kana joined them. She poured herself a bowl of cereal and started to eat.

"Hey Kana," Jane said. "We have a surprise for you."

Kana's face lit up. "What is it? Is it a new toy?"

"Nope," Jane said.

"A pony!"

"Better," Jane said, smiling.

"What's better than a new toy or a pony?" Kana asked.

"Well, how about getting to meet the stars of iCarly?" Jane asked.

Kana started screaming at the top of her lungs. Jane and Jerry grimaced as they covered their ears with their hands.

"Are you serious Mommy?" Kana asked, super excited now.

"Yup, we are all going to pay them a visit," Jane said.

"Maybe you can get an autograph from Carly!" Jerry exclaimed.

Kana started dancing. "I get to meet iCarly! I get to meet iCarly!" Kana sang. Jane and Jerry laughed.

Jane smiled. She felt good inside. She felt strong. She just hoped that her emotional strength right now carries over later when speaking to the iCarly folks.

After breakfast, Jane gave Kana a bath. Kana could not keep still because she was so hyped up about meeting the iCarly gang. Jane had to scare her by saying that they wouldn't go if she won't stop moving. It worked, for a couple of minutes. After that, Kana went back to splashing around in the water.

After showers and dressing, they were ready. Jerry called for a cab. They all got in and buckled their seat belts.

"Where to?"

"The iCarly studio!" Kana exclaimed. The driver laughed.

"Bushwell Plaza," Jerry said.

"You got it boss," the driver said.

They arrived in Bushwell Plaza in no time. Jerry lead the way for them, carrying little Kana in his arms. They entered the building, Jane taking the lead. She went up to Lewbert.

"And who are you?" Lewbert rudely asked.

"I need to see Spencer Shay," Jane said.

"I don't care!" Lewbert yelled. Kana shoved her face into Jerry's jacket, terrified.

Jane sighed. They took the stairs. Since Jerry knew Spencer, he lead the way this time.

"Is the mean man with the scary thing on his face gone?" Kana asked.

"Yes, he is dear," Jane said. "And we're almost there!"

Kana pulled away from her grandpa's chest and beamed a smile. "To iCarly?"

Jane smiled. "Yup."

They kept climbing. Jane was having a hard time keeping it together. Everything was so familiar. It seemed like nothing changed. Jerry could see that Jane was having trouble keeping it together, so he patted her on the shoulder. Jane looked at her dad and nodded.

"I'm fine," Jane said.

"Okay," Jerry said.

All of a sudden, the hallways began to become very familiar. Jane's heart rate began to increase. She started to sweat a bit. Jane's eyes widened. She saw they had to turn a left. She knew what she would see after they turned that corner.

They turned the corner.

Jane couldn't hold in a gasp. Jerry instinctively grabbed Jane's shoulder. She managed to keep the water works from starting up, but she was sure close to it.

"This is where I..." Jane said.

"I know," Jerry said. "Are you alright?"

"Never better," Jane lied.

"Are we here?" Kana asked.

"Yes we are," Jerry said. He went up to the door on the right. Jane looked at the apartment number, 8-C.

"I get to meet iCarly!" Kana exclaimed.

Jane held her breath as she looked down the hallway. Her eyes searched for what she was trying to look for. Then Jerry knocked on the door.

"Is there someone fighting in there?" Jerry said.

Jane saw the door in the distance. She looked at the apartment number. Apartment 8-E. Jane let a tear fall out. All of a sudden, Spencer's door opened. Jane looked forward immediately, wiping her tear away.

"Hey Spencer," Jerry said.

"Oh my goodness grandpa, you know Spencer!" Kana exclaimed.

"Hey Jerry, what're you doing here?" Spencer asked. He looked at Jane. Then his eyes narrowed. "Have I met you before?"

"I'm Jet's wife," Jane said. Spencer's mouth hung for a few seconds.

"Umm, one moment," Spencer said. He went back in. A few seconds later, Spencer opened the door fully, revealing the three teenagers.

"Hi," Jane said. "I'm Jet's wife."

"It's iCarly grandpa!" Kana exclaimed.

* * *

"Wait, what?" Sam said.

"Hold off on the questions Sam," Spencer said. "Please, come in."

The old man set the little girl down. She couldn't stop smiling. Carly looked at the little girl. She waved and smiled. The girl reciprocated.

All three of them took seats on the couch. Carly, Sam, and Freddie sat by the island.

"Hey Jerry," Carly greeted.

"Well hello Carly," Jerry said.

"You know Carly too grandpa?" the little girl asked, amazed.

"So, wait a second, why're you here again?" Freddie asked.

The woman sighed. "I'm Jet's wife. I'm here to find answers about what happened to him. I know Sam and Freddie got lost in the same alley as Jet did."

"So you're the real Carla?" Sam asked. Sam looked at her right cheek. There was a mole there. Her eyes widened.

"What is she talking about mommy?" the little girl asked.

"Nothing important dear," she replied. "Carly, you wouldn't mind entertaining my little girl, would you?"

Carly nodded. She doesn't want her little daughter to hear any of this talk. "Of course not!"

"I get to hang out with Carly!" the little girl exclaimed. She kissed her mom, then ran off and hugged Carly. "I'm Kana."

"Well hello, I'm Carly..." their voices drifted off as they headed upstairs.

"I just called the agents," Spencer said. "They'll be here."

"Okay, so you're really Carla?" Freddie asked.

She sighed. "Yes. I am Carla Pogi." Her voice quivered a bit.

"Then who was the woman pretending to be you?" Sam asked.

All of a sudden, the elevator door opened, revealing the two agents and the woman that pretended to be Carla. When she saw the real Carla and Jerry, her eyes widened.

"Wow, that's so cool," Sam said. "I've never seen twins other than me and Melanie."

"What are you doing here Jane?" the woman with the agents said.

"What's going on here?" Agent R asked.

"Relax Nikki," Carla said. "You can call me by my name." Nikki sighed.

"Care to fill us in?" Agent S asked. "Anytime would be great."

Carla cleared her throat. "As I've said before, I am Jet's wife." She pointed at Nikki. "She is my twin sister, Nikki, who has been carrying my full maiden name, Carla Tolman. And this is my dad, Jerry."

"Hey folks!" Jerry exclaimed.

"Why did she just call you Jane?" Freddie asked.

"When Jet died, I moved as far away as I could afford," Jane said. "Which was New York. I've lived there since the year Jet died. I didn't want anything to remind me of Jet. So, I legally changed my name to Jane Lee a few months later. My sister wanted to help out, so she changed her name to my maiden name, Carla Tolman, and she would pretend to be me. This was set up so that if the FBI or anyone else tries to find me, my sister would be there to get the scent trail of off me. I just didn't want anything to remind me of Jet. I even got remarried!"

"Why go through all this trouble?" Agent S asked.

Carla's eyes began to water. "Because...because it was too painful." She started to sob. "I loved Jet so, so much. When I found out he died, my whole world began to crumble." Jerry rubbed Carla's back.

"Not to be mean, or anything, but what exactly are you doing here?" Spencer asked.

"I heard about you two," Carla said, pointing to Sam and Freddie. "You two got lost in the same alley as Jet did. I want answers."

"She already said why she's here!" Sam exclaimed. "Keep up with the program Spencer!"

"Sorry," Spencer said.

"Why now Carla?" Agent R said. "I thought the pain was too much to handle?"

Carla sucked up some air. "Believe me, it's still painful. I've been asking myself if I even want to know what happened to Jet. But I need some closure. I also want to be able to tell my daughter who and what happened to her father."

Sam gasped. "Kana is Jet's?"

Carla nodded, wiping her tears. "I found out I was pregnant when I moved to New York."

"I have a niece?" Nikki asked, tears falling down her face.

Carla nodded. "She turns five in December. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. We lost contact over the years and I-"

"Can I meet her?" Nikki asked.

Carla sighed. Should it be okay for her to meet her own niece? Nikki had that right.

"After what you've done for me, of course," Carla said.

Nikki cried. "Thank you."

"So," Freddie said. "Do you want to know what happened to Jet?"

Carla sighed. "I'm ready."

They all informed Carla about how Jet died in the maze and what the maze was. Carla lost it and started to cry out loud. Sam and Freddie looked at each other. They gave each other a look that they both knew what it meant. Freddie grabbed hold of Sam's hand, and Sam grabbed his.

Realizing what Carla was going through, Sam and Freddie thought about the fight they had. It was nothing compared to what Carla is going through. They realized that they have each other to fight with, and Carla has no one to fight, because he's dead.

"So he is dead," Carla whispered when her crying died down.

"We're very sorry Carla," Agent R said.

"But I did find this," Sam said. She took the ring off her ring finger. Carla gasped when she saw the ring.

"Oh my God!" Carla cried. She hesitantly took it and looked at the kanji. "Love. Where'd you get this?"

"From Jet's skeleton," Sam said. "It's yours. You should keep it. Something to remember him by."

Carla wiped the tears off her eyes. "I'll give this to Kana when she's older."

Sam smiled. Freddie wrapped his arm around Sam and kissed her on the head.

"Speaking of Jet," Agent S said. She grabbed her bag and took out a jar. Carla's eyes widened. "His skeletal remains were cremated. We were going to give it to your sister when we thought she was Carla." She handed Carla the ashes.

Carla took the jar. Then she hugged it. She cried even more. Freddie sighed. He looked over at Spencer, who was awfully quiet. Spencer was standing near the bathroom, covering his eyes. This was the first time he saw Spencer ever cry.

"So, what's gonna happen now?" Jerry asked.

"It's time to move on," Nikki said, wiping her tears.

* * *

The agents told them that they would be dropping the charges against Nikki by fraud. It was a good thing since her family was going through a lot. After that, the agents said their final good bye. Carla, Nikki, and Jerry were all hugging by the island.

Carly went downstairs with her new friend, Kana. They played a lot of games, played around in the iCarly studio, recorded some funny skits, and Carly played a bit of piano and taught Kana a little bit.

After Carly introduced Kana to Sam and Freddie, she went off and joined her family. Carla smiled as she introduced her daughter to her aunt for the first time. Nikki couldn't stop crying.

"So, anything happen?" Carly asked. Sam and Freddie informed Carly of the events that took place in he past hour or so. "Wow, she's really Carla?"

"Yup, and her daughter is also Jet's," Sam said.

"No way!" Carly said.

"Yeah, it's so surprising," Freddie said.

Carly smiled. "I see you two holding hands. Does this mean...?"

"Yeah, I think we got over it," Sam said.

"But let me apologize for real," Freddie said, facing Sam. "I'm sorry for ruining our date. I'm sorry for talking about another girl and I'm so sorry for letting you down. I hope you can forgive me."

"Aww!" Carly exclaimed.

"Okay, good to know," Sam said, smiling.

Freddie waited for Sam's apology. "Sam, aren't you gonna apologize?"

Sam frowned. "I don't have anything to apologize for!"

"Oh no," Carly said, afraid that they're gonna start another fight.

"Oh, okay, well then you'll have to face the tickle monster!" Freddie exclaimed. He started tickling Sam. Sam couldn't get away from Freddie. Carly smiled. They really are perfect for each other.

Spencer came out of his bedroom and hugged Carly.

"What's this for?" Carly asked.

"I just want you to know that I love you," Spencer said. "Whatever happens."

Carly smiled. "Good to know."

After their hug, Carly and Spencer separated. Spencer went over to visit Jerry's family while Carly went upstairs, yawning. She went into her room and locked her door. She lied down on her bed and closed her eyes.

* * *

_Carly opened her eyes. All of a sudden, the Minotaur roared in her face. She screamed and ran away. She saw a door. She got in and slammed it shut, breathing uncontrollably._

_All of a sudden, she was in her room. The piano was open, waiting for her. She walked towards it. Before she could even sit down on the piano bench, the piano exploded, sending Carly back. Then she heard a loud roar._

_Carly was surrounded by darkness. She couldn't see where she was going. She was crying, scared out of her mind. All of a sudden, she felt someone grab her by the shoulders. She screamed at the top of her lungs._

_"Shhh! It's me! Freddie," he said._

_Carly wiped her tears. "Freddie?"_

_"Yes. I know you can't see me, but that's because I turned off the lights. Once I turn on the lights, I want you to stand up to the Minotaur."_

_"No!" Carly cried. "I can't!"_

_"Yes you can!" Freddie shouted. "Do you remember what I told you?"_

_"Yes," Carly sobbed. "Things aren't really what they are."_

_"Good. Now, I'm gonna turn on the lights and I want you to teach that Minotaur a lesson, okay?"_

_"Okay."_

_"Here goes," Freddie said._

_All of a sudden, the Minotaur appeared before Carly. She instinctively hid behind the nearest wall. All of a sudden, she heard a voice._

_"Help!" the voice yelled. "HELP!"_

_Carly looked back. She saw Freddie pinned down by the Minotaur. Carly gasped. She cried harder._

_"Freddie!" Carly yelled._

_"Carly!" Freddie shouted. "Help me!"_

_"Help him Carly!" Sam said, who was standing next to Carly. "If I can do it, you definitely can."_

_"We believe in you," Spencer said, who was standing in front of Carly._

_"Yes, now hurry!" Sam exclaimed._

_Carly breathed. She stepped out of her hiding place and faced the Minotaur. Carly looked at it directly in the eye. She looked for Freddie, but he was gone. All of a sudden, she felt three hands grab her shoulders. She looked back. Sam, Freddie, and Spencer was there._

_"You can do it," they all said._

_All of a sudden, the Minotaur was in mid-air, flying towards Carly. Carly gritted her teeth, clenched her fist, and let out some tears._

_"I am not afraid!" Carly yelled. She threw out a fist._

_The Minotaur stopped right where Carly's fist is. All of a sudden, the Minotaur didn't look scary anymore. In fact, it looked like a dog._

_All of a sudden, they were in Carly's living room. Sam came out of nowhere and started petting the black dog._

_"How's my little Jet?" Sam said to the dog. "Have you met Carly?"_

_Carly smiled. She say down on the couch and petted the dog with Sam._

* * *

For the first time, in a long time, Carly woke up without screaming.

Carly sat up and stretched. She smiled. She hasn't felt this well rested since the whole maze thing happened. It was the best nap ever.

She looked at her clock.

7:27 PM

Carly's eyes widened. She quickly got out of bed. She looked at her phone. She's had ten missed calls.

"Oh this is my fault!" Carly exclaimed. She quickly dressed into something relatively nice. She got out of her room and went straight into the iCarly studio.

"I'm here!" Carly exclaimed.

"Don't worry, you're just in time," Freddie said.

Carly frowned. "You guys look good."

"I'm not surprised," Sam said, posing.

"Should I get changed, I feel really out of-"

"Don't worry, you look fine," Freddie said. "Get into positions!"

Carly and Sam got in front of the camera. "You ready Sam?"

"You ready Carly?"

"In five, four, three, two..."

* * *

_**A few hours earlier**_

Carla, Nikki, and Jerry all hugged together by the little island. Carla and Nikki couldn't stop crying. Jerry couldn't stop smiling. To finally have the reunion he wanted with his family after waiting so long is an amazing feeling.

All of a sudden, Kana ran into the group hug and started to hug Nikki.

"Mommy! Mommy! You should've seen it!" Kana exclaimed. Nikki smiled. "Carly and I did so many...you're not my mom." Kana let go of her. She retreated to Carla.

"Wow, she knows her mom well," Jerry said.

"Mommy, who's the lady that looks like you?" Kana asked.

Carla laughed. "This is my twin sister."

"You have a sister?" Kana asked.

"Yes," Carla said. "She's also your Aunt Nikki."

"Hi Kana, it's nice to finally meet you," Nikki said, smiling and crying.

"Why're you crying?" Kana asked.

"Because I'm just so happy to meet you," Nikki said, wiping away her tears.

Kana smiled. "I'm happy to meet you too Aunt Nikki." They hugged it out.

"Hey, why don't we all go to dinner?" Jerry asked. "As a family again. My treat!"

Carla and Nikki smiled. "I call sitting next to Aunt Nikki!" Nikki laughed.

"Alright," Carla said.

"Okay," Nikki said, picking up Kana.

"That's so cool, you look exactly like my mommy," Kana said.

"She's very bright, isn't she?" Nikki said.

"Yeah, she is," Carla said.

Spencer came up to them. "Hey guys, how's the family reunion going?"

"It's going great Spencer," Jerry said. "Thank you for helping reunite our family."

Spencer smiled. "Well, that's me. Reuniting families one by one." They all laughed.

"Well, I should be going back," Nikki said. "I need to clean up my house and myself for that matter. Meet up for dinner at six?"

"Sounds good!" Jerry exclaimed. "I'm cooking!"

"Well, I guess this is good bye," Spencer said.

"You never know," Jerry said, shaking Spencer's hand.

"It's a small world after all!" Kana exclaimed.

Jerry high-fived Kana. "Good job!"

"We'll be going now," Carla said. "Thank you so much."

"No problem," Spencer said. Then Sam and Freddie came over. They all hugged it out and thanked one another. When Carla hugged Sam, she said something.

"Thanks for the ring," Carla whispered.

"It was yours," Sam whispered. "I just gave it back."

After their final good byes, the family took the elevator and left Bushwell Plaza.

* * *

_**A few hours later**_

Kana was busy playing with her new friend and aunt. Carla and Jerry were in the kitchen, talking about plans.

"So, what're you gonna do?" Jerry asked.

"With what?" Carla asked.

"With your life!" Jerry exclaimed.

Carla smiled. "I think I'm gonna stay in New York. Live in the city, then buy our own house in the outskirts of the city."

"How long 'till you leave?" Jerry asked.

Carla shrugged. "Just long enough so that Kana and Nikki will remember each other."

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Kana exclaimed, running to Jerry.

"What is it Kana?"

"It's iCarly!" Kana exclaimed. "It starts in two minutes!"

"Well we better hurry then!" Jerry exclaimed.

They all gathered around the computer. Jerry lead the way to . Carla and Nikki looked at each other and smiled. They put their arms around each other, just like what they did when they were little kids.

"Alright, here it goes," Jerry said. "Kana, do the countdown!"

"In five, four, three, two..."

* * *

**A/N: Alright, I did decide to break up the final chapter, hence the name. I will be uploading Part 2 soon. Only one person wanted it to be just one chapter, I would've done it, but a portion of Part 2 was accidentally deleted. Don't worry, it's a small part, it will be done, but I just wanted to get Part One up. So I hope you guys enjoyed! Finale will be up soon!**

**Since I am pretty much done with this story, I do plan on making more stories. But if you guys remember, I took like a year of hiatus from writing. During that year, I missed all the new iCarly episodes. I do know that the series will end sometime in fall or winter. I want my stories to fall in canon, so if you guys know any website to watch ALL of the episodes, please tell me, preferably if it can be played on an iPhone, but if it only works on desktops, that's fine. It will help me a lot. Thanks for your time and help.**

**Keep on readin'!**


	31. Rebirth Part Two

**iAm Not Afraid**

**A/N: Yay! The finale is finally up! This is the final chapter all of you are waiting for! Before you guys read off, I just wanna say thanks to the fans of this story. I can't thank you guys enough. Pat yourselves on the back, you helped this story to keep going. Please keep reviewing! Anyway, here it is! The last chapter! Whooooo!**

**Keep on readin'!**

**Chapter 31: Rebirth Part Two**

* * *

_**A few hours earlier**_

Sam and Freddie kissed while they were standing near Carly's front door. They haven't done this in a while, and quite frankly, they missed it.

Sam pulled away and rested her head on Freddie's chest. "Mmm, so good!"

Freddie chuckled. "Yeah, I know."

Sam scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself, okay?"

Freddie caressed Sam's cheek. Then he pulled her in for another kiss. Sam was forced to pull away when things started to get out of hand.

"Wow!" Sam exclaimed.

"Too much tongue?" Freddie asked.

"No, please, keep the tongue," Sam said. "I'm just surprised at how you kiss me."

Freddie smiled. "Am I good?"

"Surprisingly, you can make out," Sam said.

"Thanks, you're not bad yourself," Freddie said.

"Of course I'm not bad, I'm great at kissing!" Sam exclaimed. "I mean, it's me who we're talking about!"

Freddie chuckled. "So, you still wanna go to the fancy restaurant near the car dealership?"

Sam smiled. "Pick me up at six. I'll wear something that'll make you drool."

"Please, anything you wear will make me drool," Freddie said.

Sam blushed and tried to hide her smile. She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Freddie smiled. "Someone's turning red!"

"Stop it Freddie!" Sam exclaimed, smacking his chest. Freddie took the impact with an, "Oof!"

Freddie laughed. "Let's go say good bye to Carla's family."

Sam and Freddie approached them and hugged them. Sam hugged Carla.

"Thanks for the ring," Carla whispered.

"It was yours," Sam whispered. "I just gave it back."

They talked for a few more minutes before they left. Freddie wrapped his arm around Sam. He sighed.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Nothing," Freddie said. "It's just that, now all this stuff is over, it feels like it's gonna be boring."

Sam smiled. "Well, this isn't boring." Sam leaned in and kissed Freddie right on the lips. Spencer walked in on them and gasped. They pulled away and looked at him like he was crazy.

"Sorry, I'm still not used to seeing you two do that," Spencer said.

Sam and Freddie laughed. They leaned in again and kissed.

* * *

_**A few hours later**_

Freddie called a cab and told the driver to go to Sam's house. Freddie sighed. He hoped he looked good enough. He was wearing his really nice tuxedo. His mom bought it for him, he didn't know why, but it came handy in the end. He thanked his mom for it.

Once they were in front of Sam's house, Freddie sighed. He wiped the sweat of his palms by rubbing them on his pants. He got out of the car. He walked up the front door and knocked. Freddie whistled, trying to calm his nerves. He just hoped that Sam doesn't try to kill him by the end of the date.

When the door opened, Freddie literally could not whistle anymore because his breath was taken away. Sam was wearing...a dress! It was a beautiful blue dress complimented by a brown belt that hugged Sam's curvy frame. It drove Freddie crazy. She was also carrying a small silver cocktail bag. Freddie couldn't believe she was wearing high heels. And make-up! Her lips were glittery with gloss and her cheeks red with blush.

"So, whatcha think?" Sam asked, posing. Freddie tried to say something, but he was speechless. Sam punched Freddie in the gut. "Say something!"

"I-I don't know what to say!" Freddie blurted out.

Sam sighed. "I knew it, I dressed too fancy. I knew the dress was overboard already, and add on the make-up and the-"

Freddie cut her off with a kiss. "Relax, you look beautiful."

Sam blushed. She punched Freddie on the shoulder. "Don't ever interrupt me while I'm talking."

Freddie tasted his tongue. "Is that piña colada lip gloss?"

Sam hit Freddie again. "I don't buy this girly stuff, I stole it from Carly!"

"Right," Freddie said. "Let's go, so we're not late."

All of a sudden, Jet came out of nowhere and started to curl around Freddie's leg. He petted Jet's soft, black fur.

"Hey buddy," Freddie said. "How're you doing?"

Jet replied with a nice sounding bark.

"Alright, go on inside with Mom," Sam said. Jet whimpered. "Relax, she's not gonna hurt you. Go!" Jet barked and slowly went inside the house. Sam closed the door. "Ugh, pets!"

Sam and Freddie rode the taxi cab to the fancy restaurant. Freddie ended up taking a lot of pictures of them in the cab. Sam was getting slightly annoyed, but she secretly loved the attention.

"Now this is a date," Sam thought.

"Hey Sam, you know I already said that I'm sorry about the whole movie theater thing..."

"Yeah, I know," Sam said.

"I never really made it up to you," Freddie said.

"No you didn't!" Sam exclaimed. Freddie smiled. Typical Sam.

"So I got you this," Freddie said. He pulled out from his suit a small stuffed black dog. Sam's mouth dropped.

"Wow," Sam said. "This looks just like Jet!"

"Yeah, I know!" Freddie exclaimed. "And the best part is, I got it from a claw machine! It only cost me a quarter. Well, a dollar seventy-five. I wasn't as lucky as I was when we were on our date."

Sam smiled. "This actually isn't that bad." Freddie smiled. That meant that he nailed it.

They were dropped off at the fancy restaurant. Freddie opened the door for Sam.

"Thanks Fredwenie," Sam said.

Freddie smiled. "You're welcome."

They looked around the place. Sam gasped quietly. "Wow, I do not belong in this place."

"Well, looking like that, you do," Freddie said.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked, angry. "I have to put on all this make-up to belong in this kind of a place?"

"Sam, I didn't mean it that way, I was just-"

Sam started laughing. "God, you are such a girl!"

"Haha, very funny," Freddie said sarcastically.

"I could care less if I went in here with this dress, or if I came with sweats," Sam said. "C'mon, let's the start the eating!"

They approached the cashier. "May I help you?"

"Reservation for two, Benson," Freddie said.

The cashier typed some stuff into a computer. "Ah yes, Mr. Benson. Please follow me."

Freddie grabbed Sam's hand as they followed the cashier to their seats. The cashier even seated them to the seats.

"Wow, I could get used to this royal treatment," Sam said.

"Don't, I'm not rich," Freddie said.

Their table was already set up for them. It was a table for two near a window, so all the sun shined through to their table. Their plates and silverware were all ready for them. Their menus were in front of them, made out of fancy-looking paper. The napkins were even folded into doves.

"So..." Sam said.

"So..." Freddie said.

They ended up talking through their appetizer. It just felt right between the two of them. It was like they were down in the maze, sitting around the fire, cooking bacon, free from life's pressures. It felt nice.

"Alright, we have the Porterhouse Steak for the gentleman," the waitress said. She handed Freddie a 24-oz. steak. Sam's mouth dropped. Freddie pointed at it and mouthed, "Oh yeah!"

"And for the lady, chicken croquettes and filet mignon," the waitress said. She handed Sam two plates. "Enjoy!"

"Yes we will!" Sam exclaimed, digging in. She popped in a piece of the bacon-wrapped chicken in her mouth. "Mmm! So good!"

Freddie cut into his big steak and ate. "Not bad."

Sam looked at Freddie's food. "I didn't know you were quite the eater."

"I learned from the best," Freddie said, looking at Sam. She chuckled.

They ate their meals. Sam finished all of her food, no problem, with a few helpings of the side dishes. Freddie barely finished half of his steak, saying that he was stuffed. Sam finished the rest of his steak.

"Wow," Freddie said.

"Yeah," Sam said, burping. "I know."

"Are we all done here?" the waitress asked.

"Unfortunately, we are," Sam said, licking her fork to get the last bit of the meat taste on it.

"Care for dessert?" the waitress asked.

"Yes-"

"No thanks," Freddie said, cutting off Sam. She looked at Freddie, mad.

The waitress chuckled. "Alright, I'll bring the bill."

"Thank you," Freddie said. Once the waitress was out of earshot, Sam hit Freddie. "Ow! What was that for?"

"I'm still hungry!" Sam exclaimed. "I want fancy cake!"

"I was just gonna stop by Groovy Smoothies on our way home," Freddie said.

"But Freddie! I want fancy cake!"

Freddie sighed. The things he does for girls. "Alright."

"You're easy to break," Sam said.

"I'm a sucker for hot blondes," Freddie said, shrugging. Sam tried to hide her blushing.

"Alright, here you guys go!" the waitress exclaimed. She handed Sam and Freddie a soufflé each, and then the bill.

"Ooh!" Sam exclaimed.

"Wait, I didn't order any soufflés," Freddie said.

"Shhh!" Sam said. Then she started eating the soufflé. She said with a mouthful, "Thank you pretty lady!"

"Don't worry, it's all complimentary," the waitress said, chuckling. "We would just like to say congratulations to you two newlyweds!"

Sam choked on her soufflé. "What?"

"You guys are newlyweds, right?" the waitress asked. She pulled out their menu and showed them. She pointed at the top.

It said, "Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Freddie Benson!"

Freddie's mouth dropped. He couldn't believe they were mistaken for newlyweds.

"Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy wonderful lives together," the waitress said. "And may I say, you two look perfect for each other."

"Thanks," Freddie managed to say. The waitress left.

There was a really awkward silence that followed. Freddie was afraid to look at Sam. It felt like the time when they almost did it down in the maze after playing with the staples. Now Sam might really kill him. But then Sam broke the silence.

"You gonna finish your soufflé?" Sam asked.

"What?"

"It's no cake, but I've never had soufflés," Sam said. "And they're tasty!"

"Wait, you're not mad about this whole thing?" Freddie asked.

"Why would I be?" Sam asked, eating Freddie's soufflé.

"Because we we're married!"

"And that's a bad thing?" Sam asked.

That shut Freddie up. "Oh, well...uh..."

"Frankly, I think it's kinda funny," Sam said. "Do I look old enough to be married?"

Freddie smiled, taking his soufflé back. "You look amazing."

Sam smiled, grabbing the soufflé. "Well I know that, but seriously..." Freddie smiled and laughed.

"What time is it?" Freddie asked, taking the soufflé back, managing to get his first taste of it.

Sam looked at her phone. "Uhh, it's seven-twenty."

Freddie's eyes widened. "Isn't it Saturday today?"

"Yeah, so?"

"iCarly is supposed to be live in ten minutes!" Freddie exclaimed. Sam replicated Freddie's awareness.

"We have to go now!" Sam exclaimed. "Call Carly!"

"I'm already on it," Freddie said. They stood up. Freddie saw the custom menu. He grabbed it and put it in his pocket. He pulled out a big wad of cash and set it on the bill. He grabbed Sam and they headed off.

All of a sudden, Sam ran back to the table and started to stuff her face with Freddie's soufflé. Freddie grabbed Sam's arm and tried to pull her off the soufflé.

"Sam, we need to go!"

"I know! Let me just finish!"

"There's no time!"

"I'm almost done!"

"C'mon Sam!"

"Okay I'm done!" Sam exclaimed, dropping the soufflé cup. They ran off as they headed for the iCarly studio.

Freddie called for a cab. Sam and Freddie got in.

"Bushwell Plaza, step on it," Freddie said. He started calling Carly again. After about ten times, Freddie gave up. "It's no use. She isn't answering."

Sam ignored Freddie. She was going through her little purse.

"What are you trying to find?" Freddie asked.

"My little handkerchief!" Sam exclaimed, looking at Freddie. He smiled. Sam had soufflé all over her mouth.

"Why not just use your hands?" Freddie asked. "You always do that."

"Yeah, but then I wipe in on whatever I'm wearing!" Sam exclaimed. "And I am not ruining this-"

All of a sudden, Sam was cut off by Freddie, who kissed her. They kissed for about seven seconds until they pulled away.

Freddie taste his tongue. "Piña colada and soufflé taste good together."

Sam's mouth hanged. She couldn't believe Freddie just did that. She looked at her reflection on her phone. No more soufflé on her face. She turned red.

"You alright, you seem kinda red?" Freddie asked.

All of a sudden, Sam lunged at Freddie and started kissing him. They made out until the cab driver said, "We're here."

Sam pulled away. Freddie's eyes were wide open, mouth touching the floor, and he was a little bit dizzy. Sam went through Freddie's pockets, grabbed his wallet, and handed the driver the money. Sam threw the wallet back at Freddie.

"I'm not the only one in this relationship who can kiss," Sam said, winking. Freddie let out a smile. They ran off into the building.

Sam and Freddie took the elevator. Since no one was there, Freddie picked Sam up bridal-style and kissed her like that. After a few seconds, Freddie put Sam down and he pulled her in.

"That didn't feel right," Sam said.

"Yeah, I know, I wasn't feeling it either," Freddie said. Sam leaned in and they kissed again.

Sam frowned and pulled away. "What's that in your pocket?"

Freddie smiled. "It's my wallet."

"Uh huh," Sam said. The elevator door opened and they sprung into action. Freddie quickly got the tech stuff set up and Sam adjusted her make-up.

A couple minutes later, Carly came crashing in.

"I'm here!" Carly exclaimed.

"Don't worry, you're just in time," Freddie said.

Carly frowned. "You guys look good."

"I'm not surprised," Sam said, posing.

"Should I get changed, I feel really out of-"

"Don't worry, you look fine," Freddie said. "Get into positions!"

Carly and Sam got in front of the camera. "You ready Sam?"

"You ready Carly?"

"In five, four, three, two..."

* * *

_**A couple of days later**_

"Everything is so perfect now," Carly said. "I've never been so happy."

"Really? What happened?"

"So much good things," Carly said, smiling. "I'm learning new piano songs everyday and I study the music theory as well. I never thought playing the piano could be so much fun."

"Is there anything else?"

"Of course! There's lots of other things! There's Sam and Freddie who are so happy together, it's driving me crazy! Carla Pogi and her family have moved on, Spencer's happy that I'm happy, and I've finally conquered my nightmares."

"That's good to hear Carly," Nurse Sam said. They were sitting in her therapy office not too far from Bushwell. "I don't think you'll be needing to see me anymore."

Carly's disappeared. "No, wait, I still need to see you, I'm-"

"Carly, calm down," Nurse Sam said. Carly took a deep breath. "Good. Now, I'm a therapist. Therapists help the emotionally ill. You are not ill anymore Carly! Don't be sad, be even happier! The old you, the scared, weak Carly is gone. You have been reborn into a fearless, strong Carly. You're cured!"

Carly sighed. "But I'm really gonna miss you."

Nurse Sam smiled. "I'm gonna miss you too."

They both stood up and hugged. Carly hugged her tightly. Nurse Sam wasn't only a great therapist and nurse, she's also a great friend. Carly couldn't have gotten through her troubles without her.

Nurse Sam pulled away. "And hey, if you need someone to talk once in a while, call me up, alright?"

Carly smiled. "Thank you so much."

"It's been my pleasure," Nurse Sam said. "I'll see ya later, okay?"

Carly sighed and then smiled. "Good bye Sam."

Nurse Sam smiled. She escorted Carly to the door. She opened the door. "You'll be fine. You've got a lot of great people around you that support you, care about you, and love you."

Carly looked out the door. She saw Sam and Freddie totally going at it, making out in the waiting room. Spencer was staring at them, wide-eyed, almost disgusted by it.

Carly chuckled. "I know. I love them too."

* * *

_**December 31, 2021**_

"SURPRISE!" a whole bunch of people yelled.

Kana jumped and stepped outside, covering her face. Everyone laughed and cheered as Carla put an arm around her daughter.

"What's this about?" Kana asked, holding in her tears.

"I think you know!" Carla exclaimed.

"Oh my God, I thought you guys forgot!" Kana exclaimed.

"Why would we forget?" Jerry asked as he hobbled over to Kana.

"Grandpa!" Kana exclaimed as she lunged at him. Jerry managed to stay standing after the big hug.

"Oof!" Jerry let out as she caught his grown-up granddaughter. "You're not that little girl that I watched iCarly with anymore, huh?"

"I'm glad you could make it grandpa," Kana said.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Jerry said.

Kana kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned to everyone. "Alright, let's get this party started!"

The crowd cheered and they turned on the music. People started dancing and having fun. Kana took a good look around. Everyone she went with to school was there, which was basically all her friends. There was a big sign by hanging on the wall that said, "Happy 16th birthday Kana Pogi!" There was also another one that said, "Happy New Year!"

"Hey Kana!"

"Aunt Nikki, hey!" Kana exclaimed, hugging her. "How're you doing?"

"I'm doing very well, but I can see that you are too!" Nikki exclaimed. "Wow, you look really sexy!"

"Aunt Nikki, stop it!" Kana said, blushing, trying to cover up her curvy body.

"I have to agree to that," Ryan said.

"Hey baby," Kana said, kissing him on the lips.

"I should go," Aunt Nikki said, kind of embarrassed.

"I'll talk to you later!" Kana exclaimed. Aunt Nikki nodded her head.

Ryan put his hands on Kana's waist. They kissed one more time. "So, how's my birthday girl doing?"

Jana shrugged. "Oh you know, I'm fine, just the usual." They both laughed.

"So hey, I was gonna take you out this weekend to celebrate," Ryan said. "You up for it?"

"Yes I am," Kana said, smiling. "Question is-" she went up to his ear and whispered, "-are you up for it?" She winked and walked away. Ryan sighed as he got some goosebumps.

Kana partied all night long with her friends, most of them Asian. Kana has a knack of befriending Asian people. Even her boyfriend, Ryan, is Japanese. Even the relatives that she knew were there. She's so glad to have finally met them over the years. She bonded with them quickly.

"Kana!" Jerry exclaimed. He was standing in by the front door. Kana was just heading out of the bathroom. She heard and made her way over.

"Hey grandpa," Kana said, smiling. "Thanks for flying all the way from Seattle with Aunt Nikki. That's so cool that you guys did that."

Jerry laughed. "Anything for my Kana. Speaking of which, I got you a gift!"

"Oh grandpa, please, you really didn't have to-Oh my God!" Kana exclaimed.

"Yeah, I knew you'd like it," Jerry said. He gave it to Kana.

"This is so cool!" Kana exclaimed. "Wait, is this real?"

"True genuine Japanese samurai sword," Jerry said.

"Is that my name on the hilt?" Kana asked. She brushed her fingers across the embedded kanji character.

"Kana," Jerry said. "That means sword in Japanese."

"Yeah, I know grandpa," Kana said. "How'd you get this on a plane?"

"Now you let me worry about that," Jerry said. "Now go on ahead and enjoy."

"Thanks grandpa," Kana said as she kissed him on his cheek. Kana unsheathed a part of the sword. The steel was so shiny she could see herself. "Damn this is so cool."

"Kana!" Carla called. Kana ran up to her.

"Thank you so much for this awesome party!" Kana exclaimed, hugging her. "I'm having so much fun! And look, grandpa got me a sword!"

"That's great dear."

"The fireworks are gonna start at midnight, fifteen minutes from now," Kana said. "Aunt Nikki is setting them up right now."

"I need to talk to you, in my room," Carla said. Kana frowned. Her tone didn't sound too happy.

Kana followed her mom. "Am I in trouble?"

"No."

"Is it my birthday gift?"

"Yes."

"Ooh, what is it?" Kana asked, excited. They entered Carla's room. She closed the door behind them, muffling all the music and noise. "Is it a car?"

"We live in New York, you don't need a car," Carla said. They sat down on Carla's bed. "And plus, this is better than a car. Way better."

"What's better than a car?" Kana asked, setting her new sword down by the bed frame.

Carla pulled out a small box from her pocket. "This."

Kana took it. She shook it near her ear. "What is it?"

"Open it." All of a sudden, Carla experienced déjà vu. She let out a tear.

Kana opened it. There was a ring. It's center was red and inside the red center was a black kanji character.

"Love," Kana read. Carla smiled. "How's this better than a car?" Carla's smile disappeared. "I'm just kidding Mom, I love it." Kana kissed her mom. "But really, how is this better than a car? Did you pay like thirty grand for this?"

"No, I got it for a good bargain," Carla said, smiling.

"Oh Mom, please don't tell me you stole this," Kana said. "Or bought it from Ross."

Carla chuckled. "No Kana. This ring belonged to your father."

Kana's neck snapped up from the ring. "What?"

Carla smiled. "I gave it to him seventeen years ago when we first moved to Seattle."

Kana's eyes watered up. "My real dad really touched this?"

Carla nodded, trying to hold back her tears. "He did. He wore it to the day of his death."

Kana sighed. "So he is dead."

"I'm sorry," Carla said, sobbing. "I'm sorry I've kept the secret from you this long. It's hard you know. I've just been trying to get strong enough to tell you, but I haven't gotten any better over the years. It's just too depressing."

"Hey," Kana said, scooting over next to her mom. She grabbed Carla's arm and rested on her shoulder. "I know it was hard for you. When I was younger, when I saw you cry, I did everything I could to see my mommy smile again."

Carla chuckled momentarily. "And you always succeeded."

"As I got older, I realized that it's hard to deal with these kind of problems, so I didn't pry too much. Because I knew someday that you would get strong enough to tell me. And you have. You have gotten stronger Mom. Just the fact that you told me is proof."

Carla smiled as she wiped her tears away. "I love you so, so much."

"I love you too," Kana said. They hugged.

"I'm gonna tell you what happened to your father," Carla said. "But first, do you wanna see what he looks like?" Carla held up a brown envelope.

Kana smiled. "You're right. This is better than a car."

Carla opened the envelope. She pulled out a stack of pictures, all of them with Kana's dad in it. She gave it to Kana.

Once Kana set her eyes on her dad, she started crying. "Wow, he's handsome."

"Yeah, I know," Carla said, smiling. "You got his looks."

Kana smiled. She looked through the pictures. All of them were her dad, smiling or laughing. It was contagious because Kana couldn't stop smiling.

"What's his name?" Kana asked.

Carla started crying. "I can't believe I didn't tell you his name yet."

"It's okay," Kana said. "You can tell me now."

Carla said. "His name is Jetto Nakamura Pogi. I called him Jet."

"What a cool name," Kana said. She looked through the pictures until she got to the last one. It was a wedding picture of Carla and Jet. They both looked amazing.

"So, are you ready to know what happened to your dad?" Carla asked. "I warn you, just hearing this is story is hard. You probably might not believe me, but this is the truth. Can you be brave for me?"

Kana set the pictures down on the bed and looked at her dad's ring. She put it on on her left ring finger. "I'm not afraid."

In the distance, you could hear the muffled cheering of the crowd. It was almost the New Years, and they were counting it down.

"In five, four, three, two..."


End file.
